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The  Glenn  Negley  Collection 
of  Utopian  Literature 


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Iittp://www.arcliive.org/details/newregimead220200bran 


The  New  Regime 

A.  D.  2202 

BY 

JOHN  IRA  BRANT 


1909 

COCHRANE    PUBLISHING    CO. 

NEW    YORK 

T.  WERNER  LAURIE 
LONDON,  ENGLAND 


Copyright,   1909,  by 
COCHRANE    PUBLISHING    CO. 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall, 
London,  England. 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  l>AUK 

I. — A  Misfortune 5 

II. — The  People 8 

III. — The  Auxiliaries  on  Duty 11 

IV.  — A  Morni;;g  Stroll 14 

V — Esthetics 17 

VI.— The  Working  Force 19 

VII.— The  Navy 22 

VIII.— Tourists  Meet 26 

IX. — Muse 31 

X. — Talents  Developed    33 

XI. — The  Boulevards 35 

XII. — A  Mount  un  Resort 37 

XIII.— A  Floral  Division 39 

XIV.— The   Tress 41 

XV.— The  .Stage 44 

XVI. — Agriculture 47 

XVII. — Manufactures 51 

XVIII.— Railways 54 

XIX.— Hotels 60 

XX.  —  Research ; 62 

XXI. — Inventions 66 

XXII. — International  Relations 70 

XXIII.— Money 72 

XXIV. — Detectives 76 


CHAPTER  PACK 

XXV.— The  Law 78 

XXVI.— The  Individual  Enthroned 82 

XXVII.— (a)  Organization 84 

— (b)  Government 

—(c)  The  Industrial  Power 

XXVIII.— The  Central  Machine 94 

XXIX.— Economy 97- 

XXX.— Distribution 99 

XXXI.— Lovers  Together 105 

XXXII.— Woman 108 

XXXIII.— The  Children 110 

XXXIV.— Domestic  Life 112 

XXXV.— Society 116 

XXXVI.— Homeward  Bound 118 

Appendix 120 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

CHAPTER    I. 

A  MISFORTUNE. 

It  was  a  bitter  cold  evening  in  March,  2202  A.  D.  Mi. 
George  Normony,  in  his  apartment  at  New  York,  had 
just  completed  practicing  on  a  'cello  and  was  seated  by 
the  hearth.  Outside  a  storm  was  raging ;  now  and  then 
dense  clouds  of  snow  were  dashed  against  the  windows, 
while  the  trees  creaked  dismally.  As  he  listened  to  the 
shrieking  of  the  wind,  the  comfort  which  protection  from 
the  elements  gave  him  was  especially  enjoyable. 

On  the  table  there  was  a  small,  unlabeled  bottle  con- 
taining a  light-blue  liquid.  Upon  noticing  it,  George's 
curiosity  was  aroused,  for  he  could  not  recall  having  seen 
the  bottle  before.  Carefully  taking  off  the  cork,  he 
smelled  the  contents,  and,  as  the  odor  was  nice,  inhaled 
it  several  times.  A  moment  thereafter  his  brain  began 
to  reel,  then,  staggering  across  the  room,  he  fell  onto  the 
sofa,  fainting. 

A  few  minutes  later,  when  he  had  partly  regained  con- 
sciousness, there  was  a  rap  on  the  door.  Mr.  Carl  Rivers 
came  in,  observed  that  something  unusual  had  taken 
place,  and  inquired,  "What's  the  matter,  my  boy?" 

"How  did  the  stuff  get  here?  Who's  trying  to  drug 
me?"  George  exclaimed,  and  then  told  what  had  hap- 
pened, adding,  "In  some  ways  my  mind  is  a  blank  now." 

Carl,  after  looking  at  the  liquid,  continued,  "There's 

5 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

been  a  mistake.  I  met  Ben  Freeman  downstairs  this 
afternoon.  He  was  coming  up,  so  I  asked  him  to  leave 
this  bottle  in  George's  room.  I  meant  George  Dey ;  Ben 
thought  I  meant  you.  This  thing  is  all  my  fault  because 
I  should  have  been  more  definite.  How  does  your  head 
feel?" 

"A  little  bit  dizzy.  Some  things  I  can  remember,  others 
are  gone.  I  can  recall  the  names  and  faces  of  my  ac- 
quaintances and  what  I  knew  about  past  ages,  but  can't 
remember  a  single  fact  about  the  way  things  are  being 
done  now.    What  is  the  stuff?" 

"It's  a  solution  Dey  prepared.  He  has  been  making 
some  investigations  as  to  the  chemical  action  of  the  brain. 
This  solution  he  made  to  give  off  fumes  that  rob  the 
memory  of  all  knowledge  about  the  world's  present  con- 
dition. Now  he  is  working  on  another  to  restore  those 
facts." 

"Can't  I  get  some  of  it  to  react  on  this?" 

"Why,  it  may  take  him  two  or  three  years  to  get  it 
finished.  He  worked  that  long  on  this  one.  Have  you 
forgotten  your  music?" 

Taking  a  'cello,  George  played  a  favorite  selection 
well. 

"Good!"  Carl  said,  "and  you  haven't  forgotten  what 
you  knew  about  ancient  times  ?" 

"Yes,  my  brain  seems  to  be  clear  on  that." 

"All  right.  Then  tell  me  anything  you  can  about  the 
way  business  is  done  these  days." 

"There  you  have  me ;  I'm  all  at  sea ;  have  lost  the 
whole  thing." 

"That  is  certainly  a  piece  of  hard  luck,  and  I  feel  very 
badly  about  this.     But  there's  only  one  way  out  of  it."    . 

"What's  that?" 

6 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"You'll  have  to  learn  those  things  all  over.  The  best 
way  to  get  fixed  up  will  be  to  go  around  the  country,  see 
how  they  are  doing  business.  It's  lucky  this  happened 
while  we  are  both  on  vacation,  because  I  can  go  with  you. 
In  fact,  I  owe  you  that  duty,  for  it  was  through  my  care- 
lessness that  this  accident  came  about." 

"Why,  no,  Carl,  you  are  not  to  be  blamed.  But  I'll  be 
glad  to  accept  your  kind  offer.    How  soon  will  we  start  ?" 

"We  can  talk  that  over  later.  In  the  meantime  we 
can  pick  up  some  points  here  in  the  city.  Let's  go  down 
and  get  something  to  eat.  Perhaps  a  good  dinner  will 
make  you  feel  better.  It  strikes  me  it's  about  dinner 
time,  anyway,"  Carl  added  as  he  glanced  at  his  watch. 

Thereupon  they  started  downstairs. 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE   PEOPLE. 

WniLE  passing  through  a  corridor  on  the  first  floor, 
they  heard  singing,  accompanied  by  instruments,  and,  at 
Carl's  suggestion,  they  repaired  to  the  room  whence  the 
music  came. 

It  was  furnished  handsomely.  On  the  walls  hung 
splendid  paintings.  The  colorings  of  the  frescoes  har- 
monized with  the  rich  tints  in  the  carpet.  Appearances 
indicated  lavish  expenditure. 

A  small  party  had  gathered,  who  were  listening  to  a 
vocal  quartette  accompanied  by  guitars,  mandolins,  and  a 
harp.  The  musicians  were  rehearsing  in  preparation  for 
a  reception  that  was  to  take  place  on  the  following  night. 
When  the  music  ceased,  Carl  and  George  proceeded  to  the 
dining-room. 

There  many  electric  lights  flooded  a  brilliant  glow 
throughout  the  spacious  room,  illuminating  it  like  day. 
Shining  silver,  sparkling  cut  glass,  and  hand-painted 
porcelain  adorned  the  tables,  while  each  bouquet  holder 
contained  a  cluster  of  flowers. 

Seating  themselves  at  a  table,  our  friends  noticed  the 
animation  as  the  guests  were  assembling.  The  ladies 
were  richly  gowned,  and  their  smiles  suggested  the  fact 
that  they  were  happy. 

Carl  remarked,  "Right  here  you  can  get  an  idea  as  to 
the  condition  of  the  people  who  have  the  smallest  in- 
comes there  are  to-day ;  that  is,  the  penniless  class." 

"Is  there  any  limit  to  the  materials  they  can  have?" 

8 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"Naturally  there  is.  There  are  some  articles  that  don't 
exist  in  big  enough  quantities  for  everybody ;  for  instance, 
paintings  by  Raphael  or  Titian,  historic  bric-a-brac,  and 
such  things.  They  are  distributed  exactly  as  they  were 
in  the  past.  If  an  owner  wants  to  sell  them,  he  will  give 
them  to  the  highest  bidder.  The  people  who  have  no 
money  do  without  such  things,  but  can  have  all  they 
want  of  everything  that  can  be  made  to  meet  the  universal 
demand.  That  includes  food,  clothing,  shelter,  education, 
travel,  entertainment,  and  so  on ;  everything,  you  see,  that 
is  needed  to  make  life  delightful.  As  to  the  quality  of 
their  goods,  they  get  only  the  finest  that  can  be  turned 
out ;  low  grade  materials  are  not  made." 

George  next  asked,  "What  do  all  these  people  work 
at?" 

"Among  these  women  there  are  clerks,  bookkeepers, 
milliners,  musicians,  actresses,  and  some  are  in  the  do- 
mestic service.  You  will  find  men  here  who  are  machin- 
ists, carpenters,  railroaders,  educators,  actors,  and  the 
like.  This  home  accommodates  about  five  thousand,  and 
they  come  from  many  occupations." 

"How  many  hours  a  day  do  the  people  work?" 

"Four." 

"How  often  do  they  get  vacations  ?" 

"Almost  whenever  we  want  one.  The  regular  allow- 
ance is  one  day  a  week  in  addition  to  Sunday,  and  then 
every  seventh  month  we  get  a  month  off,  every  seventh 
year  a  year  off.  If  we  let  any  of  that  accumulate,  we 
can  take  it  as  we  want  it.  We  can  spend  our  vacations 
and  spare  time  in  study,  travel,  social  enjoyment,  or  at 
operas,  lectures,  athletic  games,  and  the  like.  In  fact,  the 
world  is  at  our  disposal  to  give  us  whatever  benefits  and 
elevating  pleasures  we  want." 

9 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

Having  finished  dinner,  they  sat  at  the  table,  listening^ 
to  the  conversation  and  the  ripples  of  laughter  that  min- 
gled with  the  charming  melodies  from  the  orchestra. 

At  length  Carl  explained,  "The  abundance  we  have 
came  by  saving  what  competition  wasted,  and  dividing 
that  saving  equitably.  To  do  that  didn't  imply  an  attack 
at  vested  rights." 

"How  did  the  change  come  about?" 

"Ah,  that  is  an  interesting  question.  A  little  later  we 
will  look  into  it  carefully." 

"Well,  am  I  to  understand  that  the  present  situation  is 
perfect  ?" 

"Not  by  any  means,  although  it  is  generally  admitted  to 
be  better  than  the  competitive  system.  We  are  merely 
one  step  higher  than  competition.  Why,  there  are  those 
to-day  who  want  to  abolish  every  form  of  private  prop- 
erty and  give  us  equality.  So  you  see  there  are  still 
different  opinions." 


lo 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE  AUXILIARIES  ON  DUTY. 

The  storm  which  was  enveloping  the  city,  continuing 
forty-eight  hours,  grew  to  be  one  of  the  most  violent  bliz- 
zards that  had  been  experienced  for  many  years.  A  biting 
wind  of  unusual  velocity  hurled  the  snow  up  and  down 
the  streets,  then  piled  it  into  such  high  drifts  that  not 
even  the  gigantic  freight  trucks  could  get  through.  Sur- 
face traffic  was  paralyzed.  The  regular  street-cleaning 
establishment  being  unable  to  handle  the  situation,  every 
man  of  the  auxiliaries  was  called  out  during  the  night, 
and  a  detachment  rushed  northward  to  clear  a  blockaded 
railroad. 

When  our  friends  met  in  the  morning,  Carl  said, 
"We'll  go  out  to  see  something  interesting  to-day." 

After  breakfast,  having  wrapped  themselves  in  fur- 
lined  ulsters,  they  walked  to  Seventh  Avenue  and  Fifty- 
ninth  Street,  where  they  saw  a  considerable  body  of  men 
cutting  channels  through  the  drifts. 

"Who  are  those  fair-skinned  young  fellows?"  George 
questioned. 

"The  auxiliaries.  Most  of  them  regularly  work  in- 
side." 

"Tliey  appear  to  like  shoveling  snow." 

"Oh,  yes.  They  enjoy  being  called  out  at  times  like 
this.    It  breaks  monotony,"  Carl  returned. 

The  operations  proceeded  in  a  manner  that  showed  the 
effect  of  careful  training,  for  headway  was  being  made 

II 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

rapidly  and  without  confusion.  Fifty-ninth  Street  was 
soon  opened  to  East  River.  Then  electric  wagons  sped 
to  the  piles  of  snow,  were  quickly  loaded,  and  immedi- 
ately started  towards  the  river,  where  they  were  unloaded. 
No  sooner  had  a  wagon  departed  than  an  empty  one 
took  its  place. 

Having  looked  on  for  a  while,  George  observed,  "I  have 
read  that  long  ago  on  occasions  like  this,  the  extra  men 
taken  on  were  from  the  unemployed,  many  of  them 
homeless." 

"Exactly,  and  the  way  they  worked,  much  time  was 
always  wasted.  That  was  the  game  in  those  days;  the 
longer  the  work  could  be  dragged  out,  the  longer  they 
would  have  employment.  Here  it  is  to  everybody's  in- 
terest to  get  the  streets  cleared  as  soon  as  they  can. 
The  men,  you  notice,  are  all  at  it  with  fiery  energy." 

"And  they  are " 

"Look;  There  they  go!"  Carl  interrupted,  calling  his 
companion's  attention  to  a  part  of  the  force  moving  on 
the  double-quick  towards  Eighth  Avenue. 

"What  are  they  running  for  ?" 

"To  try  for  the  best  record.  There's  rivalry  between 
the  gangs." 

"Where  are  they  going?" 

"It  looks  as  though  they  are  heading  for  the  Columbus 
Circle  subway  station.  There  they'll  probably  take  a  train 
to  some  other  part  of  the  city.  You  see,  the  manager  of 
the  street-cleaners  is  now  in  charge  of  this  work.  At 
headquarters  he  keeps  in  touch  with  the  situation.  As 
soon  as  the  snow  is  cleared  at  one  point,  the  men  are 
hurried  to  another.  Why,  George,  the  way  this  thing  is 
being  done  they  accomplish  many  times  more  in  an  hour 
than  the  same  number  of  men  did  by  the  old  way." 

12 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

Our  friends  spent  the  entire  morning  viewing  the  oper- 
ations, and,  although  well  clad,  by  noon  they  were  suf- 
fering from  the  biting  cold,  for,  notwithstanding  the  wind 
had  abated,  the  temperature  was  still  below  zero. 

They  then  entered  a  cafe,  where,  surrounded  by  lux- 
urious furnishings,  they  sat  down  to  luncheon.  From 
their  seats  they  looked  through  the  great  plate  glass  win- 
dows, fringed  with  snowy  crystals,  and  saw  that  the  in- 
terrupted street  traffic  had  been  resumed. 

Inside  so  delightful  was  the  warmth  and  the  pure  air 
that  they  lingered  long.  Between  sips  of  delicious  coffee 
they  talked  over  their  plans  and  decided  to  remain  at 
home  as  long  as  winter  continued,  but,  when  spring 
opened,  to  leave  on  a  tour  of  the  United  States.  Carl 
promised  that,  in  the  meantime,  they  would  utilize  the 
first  suitable  day  for  taking  a  look  at  the  city. 


I  ^ 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER    IV. 


A   MORNING  STROLL. 


During  the  transition  to  the  new  order,  experiments 
showed  how  large  to  erect  buildings  so  that  they  would 
bring  maximum  saving  in  handling  the  business  for  which 
they  were  intended.  Consequently,  when  our  narrative 
occurred,  the  majestic  sizes  of  structures  surpassed  those 
belonging  to  any  previous  period. 

On  a  clear  day  in  April  Messrs  Normony  and  Rivers 
set  out  to  view  the  city.  They  first  went  down-town  to 
the  East  Side,  where  they  found  the  air  sweetened  by 
odors  of  cleanliness  mingled  with  those  from  the  sea. 
Upon  approaching  a  group  of  hotels,  George  observed 
with  pleasure  the  excellent  color  harmony  and  the  ornate 
treatment  of  details,  then  inquired,  "Who  live  in  those 
palaces  ?" 

"The  people  who,  in  the  work  they  do,  correspond  to 
those  that  once  crowded  mean  tenements,  for  right  in 
this  part  of  the  town  were  the  slums  long  ago.  Now  you 
notice  all  the  factories  around  here  are  beautiful  build- 
ings, so  this  is  as  fine  a  section  to  locate  a  hotel  in  as 
any  other  part  of  the  town,"  Carl  replied. 

"What's  that  building?" 

"A  lace  factory.  That  one  just  below  is  a  clothing  fac- 
tory. Over  there  is  a  theatre,  and  yonder  the  electric 
light  and  power  plant  for  this  section.  Now,  in  these 
hotels  and  apartment  homes  is  where  the  people  live  who 
work  in  these  shops  and  factories.     That's  the  way  the 

14 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

city's  transportation  problem  was  finally  worked  out. 
After  all  industry  got  under  one  management,  why  manu- 
facturing plants  were  so  distributed  as  to  do  away  with 
overcrowding  of  population.  Many  factories  were  moved 
out  to  suburban  towns,  so  if  a  person  wants  to  live  in  a 
suburban  town  he  can  work  there.  The  people  can  live 
an  easy  walking  distance  from  where  they  work,  and 
most  of  them  prefer  to  do  so.  That  saves  time  for  them 
and  there's  no  need  of  hauling  them  back  and  forth  every 
day.  An  exception  to  that,  of  course,  is  a  kind  of  manu- 
facturing that  makes  much  noise." 

"What  did  they  do  with  the  old  subway,  fill  it  up?" 

"No,  developed  it  into  a  system  for  underground  freight 
deliveries.  These  factories  get  all  their  raw  materials  by 
cars  running  into  the  receiving-room  in  the  sub-cellar. 
The  cars  are  then  switched  to  the  other  side  of  the  build- 
ing, where  the  shipping-room  is.  Many  hotels  get  their 
supplies  by  cars  running  underground  into  the  refriger- 
ating-rooms.  All  that  keeps  the  streets  clear  of  trucks, 
with  a  few  exceptions,  and  leaves  the  streets  for  pleas- 
ure vehicles." 

Then  they  entered  a  hotel.  Great  columns  of  porphyry 
first  attracted  their  attention;  next,  the  finely  polished 
floor;  above,  a  dome  of  gold.  The  hand-painted  mural 
decorations  appeared  to  be  the  work  of  masters. 

A  little  later  they  were  at  Governor's  Island,  which 
had  at  one  time  been  used  for  military  purposes.  The 
fortress  was  now  dismantled  and  the  island  was  a  park, 
for  which  purpose  nature  had  made  it  an  ideal  spot.  Can- 
non, which  once  had  been  installed  there  for  war,  were 
now  planted  in  ornamental  positions  on  the  lawns,  and 
stood  as  mute  evidence  of  the  island's  history. 

Going  to  Union  Square,  our  friends  took  passage  in  a 

15 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

touring  car  and  traversed  the  splendid  parkway  which 
began  at  that  point  and  which  Hnked  the  principal  parks 
into  one.  On  reaching  Riverside  Drive,  Carl  called 
George's  attention  to  a  location  northward,  where  a  lofty 
observation  tower  capped  the  Palisades,  rising  to  almost 
a  thousand  feet. 

He  added,  "You  can  get  a  good  bird's-eye  view  of  the 
city  from  up  there." 


i6 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  V. 

ESTHETICS. 

Nor  was  it  true  only  of  architecture  that  the  esthetic 
was  being  completely  developed  ;  it  was  so  with  all  arts. 

Such  a  result  could  never  be  attained  for  the  masses 
while  competition  continued,  because  the  demand  for 
cheap  commodities  prevented  it.  Thus  beauty  was  usually 
either  abolished  or  degenerated  into  a  showy  veneer,  and 
artisans  who  possessed  skill  that  might  have  produced 
grand  work  were  making  inferior  goods  to  meet  the 
consumers'  ideas  as  to  price. 

While  occupation  was  uncertain,  for  a  worker  to  use 
up  his  entire  income  was  regarded  as  improvident,  but 
after  he  was  assured  employment,  coupled  with  pension 
in  case  of  disablement  or  at  retirement  for  age,  hoarding 
was  not  necessary.  Then  he  could  safely  spend  all  his 
earnings  and  have  full  enjoyment  of  them. 

Consequently,  as  the  number  of  people  who  had  plenty 
gradually  increased,  the  artistic  assumed  an  improved 
complexion.  The  workman  resided  in  a  pretty  home, 
furnished  with  better  woods  and  finer  fabrics.  In  addi- 
tion, he  bought  more  musical  instruments,  paintings, 
bronzes  and  statuary.  In  all  purchases  he  began  to  de- 
mand what  was  attractive. 

The  benefits  flowing  from  that  change  were  enjoyed 
alike  by  producer  and  by  consumer,  for  the  testimony  is 
general  that  workmen  take  greater  delight  in  turning  out 
articles  of  high  than  of  low  grade;  and  even  before  the 

17 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

twenty-third  century  began  all  workers  could  look  with 
pleasure  at  what  their  labor  produced. 

With  buildings,  the  beautifying  process  was  not  con- 
fined to  those  used  for  habitation  and  to  those  used  for 
assemblage,  but  was  extended  to  all  structures.  More- 
over, since  art  was  used  as  expressive  of  purpose,  a  dis- 
tinct type  of  construction  and  decorative  treatment  was 
adopted  for  each  class  of  buildings,  which  served  not  only 
as  a  public  convenience,  but  also  gave  variety. 

On  roads  nature's  attractiveness  was  enriched  by  fine 
artificial  adornment.  All  highways  were  lined  with  care- 
fully pruned  trees,  and  crossed  culverts,  bridges  and  via- 
ducts that  were  handsome  piles  of  steel  and  masonry. 

But  where  artistic  combination  reached  its  climax  was 
on  the  stage.  There  entrancing  music,  cadence  and  grace 
in  movement,  and  delightful  harmonies  of  color,  coalesced 
to  give  audiences  fine  thrills. 

The  downfall  of  competition  had  ended  the  occupations 
which  were  no  longer  needed,  such  as  book  agent,  trav- 
eling salesman,  insurance  solicitor,  while  there  had  been 
an  increased  demand  for  musicians,  actors,  dramatists, 
architects,  landscape  gardeners ;  in  fact,  for  every  calling 
of  that  kind,  and  then  the  vast  amount  of  such  talent  that 
each  generation  yielded,  all  brought  happiness  to  its  pos- 
sessors and  was  useful  to  the  world. 


i8 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE  WORKING  FORCE. 


It  was  May,  and  the  young  men  were  still  at  home, 
awaiting  favorable  weather  before  beginning  their  travels. 
One  afternoon,  while  they  were  talking  about  the  facts 
George  had  acquired,  he  mentioned  it  as  his  understand- 
ing that  collective  management  of  industry  then  prevailed. 
He  asserted  that  the  idea  of  such  a  system  was  trace- 
able even  to  ancient  history. 

Carl  assented  and  said  the  early  Greeks  had  talked 
about  it,  also  that  since  then  it  had  been  advocated  many 
times.  He  explained  that  the  fact  that  advantage  was  to 
be  derived  from  all  industry  working  harmoniously  was 
one  of  those  truths  which  never  sleep ;  and  that  the  idea 
had  been  kept  alive  through  many  centuries,  continually 
gaining  adherents  until  its  benefits  were  finally  enjoyed. 

"But  will  you  make  this  clear?"  George  requested.  "If 
that  was  so  great  a  truth,  why  didn't  they  put  it  into  prac- 
tice sooner?" 

"Because  a  foundation  had  to  be  laid,  and  that  took 
centuries.  The  old  despotisms  had  to  be  crushed,  the 
people  put  into  power,  education  opened  to  all,  and  in- 
ventions worked  out.  Why,  suppose  everything  were 
done  towards  paving  the  way,  except  that  the  telegraph, 
railroad  and  steam  engine  were  not  known.  Without 
them  it  isn't  likely  the  world  could  be  run  as  one  ma- 
chine." 

"Well,  now,  am  I  to  understand  that  all  workmen  form 
one  army?"  was  George's  next  question. 

19 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"All  industry  is  under  one  management,  but  we  haven't 
the  military  system,  with  its  pitiless  discipline.  We  have 
liberty.  There  isn't  any  grouping  by  regiments  for  in- 
dustrial purposes.  In  the  nineteenth  century  it  had  al- 
ready been  proved  by  experience  that  the  regiment  wasn't 
suitable  for  industry.  While  governments  used  the  regi- 
ment for  military  purposes,  yet  in  government  shops  and 
factories  at  that  time  an  entirely  different  scheme  of  or- 
ganization was  used,  which  was  found  to  serve  the  pur- 
pose better  than  if  the  regiment  had  been  used  for  shop 
and  factory  work. 

"To-day,"  Carl  continued,  "all  groups  of  workers  are 
adjusted  to  whatever  size  gives  the  most  saving.  The 
workers  of  the  line  are  always  ready  to  be  called  on  for 
the  hardest  and  most  dangerous  work  that  turns  up. 
Among  them  is  a  force  known  as  the  auxiliaries,  which  is 
used  to  transfer  men  quick  to  where  there  is  a  congestion 
of  work." 

"What's  the  composition  of  the  staff?" 

"It  has  the  people  who  do  easier  and  less  dangerous 
work  than  is  done  by  the  line.  Of  course,  we  get  to  see 
both  the  line  and  staff  in  the  parades." 

"Are  those  held  often?" 

"Frequently,"  Carl  answered ;  "every  city  has  a  few 
parades  every  year.  There'll  be  one  here  in  a  few  days, 
and  I'll  take  you  to  see  it." 

On  a  morning  three  days  later,  soon  after  our  friends 
entered  a  grand  stand,  they  heard  floating  down  the  ave- 
nue a  fanfare  from  the  trumpets,  followed  by  inspiring 
melody.  Looking  in  that  direction,  they  saw  the  proces- 
sion advancing. 

In  the  lead  was  a  brilliant  cavalcade — two  troops  of 

20 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

federal*  chasseurs.  On  they  came,  their  handsome  horses 
prancing  to  the  music,  and  their  helmets  of  silver  spark- 
ling in  the  sun.  Then  followed  a  representative  turnout 
of  industrial  workers.  Every  band  was  double,  and  when 
one-half  of  a  band  stopped  playing,  its  other  half  began, 
the  bands  being  so  spaced  that  as  the  strains  from  one 
died  away  the  music  of  the  next  was  heard  approach- 
ing. The  pace  was  rapid,  and  after  the  parade  had  con- 
tinued two  hours,  a  detachment  of  federal  grenadiers 
approached.  Not  a  man  among  them  was  under  six  feet 
three  inches,  and  each  one  was  wearing  a  tall,  bearskin 
hat. 

All  day  the  tread  of  battalions  kept  up,  and  the  last 
company  passed  the  reviewing  stand  in  the  evening  under 
the  glare  of  electric  lights.  Thereupon  the  crowds,  hoarse 
from  cheering,  and  tired,  dispersed. 

^^  As  they  were  leaving  the  grand  stand  George  observed, 
"In  that  whole  procession  I  didn't  see  two  groups  wearing 
uniforms  that  were  alike." 

"They  all  try  to  outdo  each  other  on  parade,  not  only 
in  appearance,  but  in  marching,  too." 

♦Throughout  this  book  "federal"  refers  to  the  world  political 
power. 


21 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  NAVY. 

While  George  was  that  evening  talking  with  an  ac- 
quaintance, Lieutenant  Stanchion  of  the  navy,  about  the 
occurrences  of  the  day,  their  conversation  drifted  to  naval 
affairs,  and  the  lieutenant  having  been  interrogated  con- 
cerning them,  began : 

"The  only  enemies  we  have  are  the  wind  and  waves, 
so  that  all  our  thought  is  spent  on  ways  of  fighting  them. 
That  is  how  ocean  travel  has  been  brought  to  its  present 
safety.  It  is  seldom  that  a  ship  goes  down  or  that  two 
collide.  We  don't  have  many  freighters,  because  produc- 
tion centers  are  located  so  as  to  make  every  part  of  the 
world  self-supporting,  as  near  as  that  can  be  done.  That 
keeps  ocean  freight  traffic  very  low,  but  the  heavy  travel 
makes  it  necessary  to  keep  many  passenger  ships  in  com- 
mission." 

"Then,"  George  ventured,  "for  every  million  dollars 
that  a  generation  in  past  times  put  into  battleships^  we 
use  a  million  to  give  people  the  advantages  of  travel,  do 
we?" 

"Precisely ;  and  to  get  the  best  results,  every  commer- 
cial vessel  that  makes  its  run  between  continents  belongs 
to  the  central  navy,  which  is  under  the  world's  Admiral- 
in-chief.  His  immediate  subordinates  are  the  admirals, 
each  of  whom  has  charge  of  one  ocean.  Each  ocean 
is  then  split  into  districts,  which  are  under  vice-admirals. 
Then  come  the  rear  admirals,  who  command  the  fleets  de- 

22 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

itailed  to  subdistricts.  Next  below  are  the  commodores, 
commanding  all  the  ships  that  make  a  specified  place  their 
home  port." 

"Do  those  officers  also  control  the  river  and  lake 
trade?" 

"No ;  for  that  business  there  are  the  continental  navies. 
They  work  with  the  central  navy  exactly  as  states  work 
with  the  national  government  that  they  are  a  part  of." 

"When  on  regular  duty  the  ships  don't  sail  in  squad- 
ron, do  they?" 

"Often  they  do.  Then  they  practice  maneuvering  to 
keep  in  training  for  the  naval  parades.  Just  this  morn- 
ing the  seventeenth  cruiser  squadron  of  the  North  Atlan- 
tic fleet  went  out  for  a  year's  trip.  There  were  nine  first- 
class  cruisers,  carrying  about  twenty-five  thousand  pas- 
sengers. Most  of  those  people  have  just  finished  their 
first  seven  years'  work,  and  are  now  off  for  a  year  of 
travel.  Those  nine  ships  will  be  together  for  a  year.  You 
know  Mr.  Adams ;  he  sailed  on  the  flagship  as  senior  engi- 
neer ofticer."  * 

"Oh,  did  he?  Well,  do  those  vessels  have  enough  sail- 
ors to  make  the  working  day  four  hours?" 

"No,  because  that  would  reduce  the  passenger  accom- 
modations too  much.  At  sea  the  sailors  work  as  many 
hours  a  day  as  necessary,  and  when  they  get  home  their 
vacations  are  increased  by  the  amount  of  overtime  they 
make." 

"Is  any  ocean  freight  handled  in  sailing  ships?" 

"Yes,  some  of  it.  For  imperishable  goods,  such  as 
coal  and  lumber,  when  time  is  not  a  factor,  the  schooner 
gives  greatest  economy." 

"So  that  some  of  our  people  must  put  up  with  the 
tedium  of  long  voyages  by  sailing  ships?" 

23 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

Lieutenant  Stanchion  continued,  "I'd  like  to  take  you 
on  such  a  voyage.  You  would  soon  change  your  views. 
The  forecastles  of  our  sailing  ships  are  not  the  wretched 
quarters  that  the  men  on  old-time  sailing  ships  lived  in. 
Ours  are  as  finely  furnished  as  the  best  hotels.  A  party 
of  sailors  and  their  families,  forming  a  congenial  circle, 
can  get  an  assignment  together  on  the  same  ship," 

"The  women,  I  suppose,  do  the  housekeeping  work  on 
board?" 

"Certainly.  Then  the  ships  are  supplied  with  musical 
instruments,  library,  and  so  forth.  Your  hours  off  duty 
you  can  spend  in  musicales  and  social  pleasures." 

George  then  said  he  had  heard  something  about  the 
opening  of  the  summer  boating  season  being  a  fine  sight 

"Oh,  by  the  way,  the  prospects  are  for  an  early  spring, 
and  I  understand  the  review  will  come  off  next  week. 
I'll  get  tickets  and  we'll  take  it  in,  so  you  can  see  how 
the  season  is  opened  every  year."  was  the  reply. 

On  an  appointed  day,  a  week  later,  the  review  formed 
on  the  Hudson.  From  the  Battery  a  line  of  excursion 
craft,  gayly  dressed  in  holiday  attire,  extended  nineteen 
miles  up  the  river.  All  the  boats  were  comfortably  filled 
with  happy  men,  women  and  children  out  for  a  day  of 
festivities,  and,  while  merriment  prevailed,  bands  and  or- 
chestras helped  to  enliven  the  occasion.  Launch  flotillas, 
carrying  small  parties,  were  darting  about.  The  Com- 
mandant of  the  Port  was  aboard  his  private  yacht,  in 
personal  command. 

At  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  George  and  Lieutenant 
Stanchion  boarded  one  of  the  vessels.  At  ten  the  fleet 
moved  down  the  bay,  went  southward  in  column  forma- 
tion, then,  veering  eastward,  stood  out  to  sea.  A  circuit 
was  made  which  enabled  a  return  early  in  the  evening, 

24 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

and  again  the  vessels  took  their  assigned  places  in  the 
river. 

When  night  fell  the  outlines  of  their  hulls  and  super- 
structures were  penciled  by  myriads  of  electric  lights 
against  the  darkness,  their  searchlights  were  illuminating 
the  sky,  and  a  gorgeous  display  of  fireworks  was  playing. 

Then  came  the  evening  dances  on  deck.  They  contin- 
ued as  late  as  the  merrymakers  wished  to  participate  in 
them,  and  it  was  long  after  midnight  when  the  last  party 
of  passengers  left  the  boats.  The  summer  excursion  sea- 
son had  begun. 

While  our  friends  were  going  home  George  asked,  "Do 
all  the  summer  excursion  craft  that  belong  here  form  one 
group  ?" 

"Yes ;  and  it  is  subdivided.  The  whole  group  is  under 
the  Commandant  of  the  Port." 

"Where  do  all  these  extra  crews  suddenly  spring  up 
from?" 

"They  are  naval  auxiliaries.  During  the  winter  they 
work  in  shipyards  or  shops  where  marine  machinery  is 
built.    They  make  good  crews." 


25 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

TOURISTS  MEET. 

Next  morning  Carl  and  George  completed  preparations 
for  departing. 

Their  tickets  consisted  of  their  passes,  which  had  been 
secured  from  the  Department  of  Music,  for  Carl  played 
the  violin  and  George  the  'cello  in  an  opera  house  orches- 
tra. The  pass  entitled  its  bearer  to  what  he  desired  of  all 
things  that  were  free,  and  was  good  throughout  North 
America. 

They  went  by  train  to  an  inland  resort  in  New  Jersey. 
As  it  was  yet  early  in  the  season,  the  hotel  where  they 
registered  had  barely  half  the  number  of  people  it  could 
accommodate. 

However,  on  the  evening  following  their  arrival,  they 
availed  themselves  of  a  custom  which  had  grown  general. 
It  was  this :  In  different  parts  of  the  parlor  there  were 
conspicuous  cards,  bearing  some  such  terms  as  "Athlet- 
ics," "Poetry,"  "Music,"  and  every  other  for  which  there 
was  a  demand ;  each  of  those  cards  indicated  that  all  who 
collected  around  it  were  interested  in  the  topic  it  repre- 
sented and  wished  conversation  thereon.  In  some  hotels 
the  same  end  was  reached  by  having  small  parlors,  each 
being  used  for  a  particular  subject.  Further,  if  a  guest 
wished  conversation  on  a  subject  for  which  no  arrange- 
ments were  made,  he  could,  by  leaving  his  card  with  the 

26 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

social  manager,  be  brought  into  contact  with  fellow- 
guests  similarly  inclined,  if  there  chanced  to  be  such  pres- 
ent. 

Our  friends  joined  the  "Music"  group,  where  they  met, 
among  others,  two  young  ladies  from  Sweden,  Misses 
Teresa  Roselius  and  Thora  Jansen.  Having  been  in  the 
Swedish  service  but  seven  months,  the  young  ladies  were 
using  their  first  month  of  vacation  to  visit  America. 

It  required  but  a  short  acquaintance  to  show  that  the 
four  were  congenial.  After  music  began  in  the  ballroom 
they  entered  a  few  waltzes ;  thereafter,  while  others 
danced  the  night  away,  our  four  friends  were  conversing, 
which  moved  smoothly  and  with  delight  to  all. 

The  young  men  were  prompted  by  that  pleasurable 
occurrence  to  abandon  their  original  intention  of  remain- 
ing at  that  resort  but  a  day,  and  decided  to  continue  there 
a  week.  The  young  ladies  were  glad  when  Carl  told 
them  that  he  would  do  all  he  could  to  make  their  sojourn 
in  America  pleasant  and  that  George  would  help  him. 

Between  Misses  Jansen  and  Roselius  there  existed  a 
most  devoted  attachment,  and  when  George  noticed  their 
affection  for  each  other  he  was  sent  upon  happy  dreams, 
even  at  moments  when  he  was  not  asleep.  He  and  Miss 
Jansen  soon  became  excellent  companions,  and  spent  much 
time  strolling  through  the  adjacent  woodland — a  pastime 
of  which  they  were  both  very  fond.  Before  three  days 
passed  he  called  her  Thora,  she  called  him  George. 

Between  Carl  and  Miss  Roselius  there  also  arose  a 
warm  friendship.  For  outdoor  recreation  they  preferred 
boating  or  tennis. 

What  bound  the  four  together  was  their  passionate 
liking  for  music,  which  led  them  to  spend  many  an  hour 
practicing  as  a  quartette. 

27 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

On  the  fourth  day  George  told  Thora  he  loved  her. 

Carl  and  Miss  Roselius  were  not  so  quick  in  allowing 
their  attachment  to  develop.  Nevertheless,  on  the  night 
prior  to  their  going  away  they  were  sitting  together  in  a 
small  private  parlor,  which  was  dimly  lighted.  He  whis- 
pered tenderly,  "My  sweet  one,  these  have  been  seven 
joyous  days  for  me.  Before  we  part  I  want  you  to  know, 
dear  Teresa,  that  I  love  you." 

He  took  her  hand  in  his,  then  kissed  her.  There  fol- 
lowed a  silence  that  to  him  was  heavenly,  for  he  knew  by 
the  willingness  with  which  she  gave  him  her  hand  what 
that  silence  meant. 

As  a  faint  flush  crossed  her  dimpled  cheek  she  mur- 
mured, "My  dear  Carl,  it  makes  me  so  happy  to  know 
that." 

Daintily  she  placed  her  arms  around  him,  drew  his 
cheek  to  hers,  and  throughout  a  few  hours  they  reveled 
in  affection  and  endearing  words. 

Close  to  midnight  George  and  Thora,  upon  returning 
from  the  lake,  heard  the  tidings  that  Carl  and  Teresa 
loved  each  other.  After  a  short  time  the  two  couples 
parted  with  many  kisses. 

The  young  men  went  into  the  parlor,  where  they  re- 
clined on  luxurious  chairs.  The  lights  had  been  extin- 
guished, but  the  moonbeams,  falling  through  the  win- 
dows, filled  the  room  with  a  golden  haze. 

George  began,  "It's  fortunate  to  come  across  such  hap- 
piness during  this  trip." 

*'And  our  lovemaking  will  give  us  a  chance  to  see  the 
romance  of  this  age,"  Carl  answered. 

"There  must  certainly  be  some  way  for  us  to  get  a 
transfer  to  Sweden." 

28 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"There  is.  Before  long  you'll  see  how  the  rules  bend 
to  get  lovers  together.  Love,  mark  it,  according  to  pres- 
ent philosophy,  is  what  everything  else  exists  for." 

"Don't  you  know,  Carl,  I  feel  like  giving  up  this  trip. 
I  would  like  to  have  my  arms  around  Thora,  and  between 
our  caresses  have  her  tell  me  about  the  present  order 
of  things." 

"We  ought  to  finish  our  trip,  though.  Then  we'll  join 
the  girls  abroad." 

"I  feel  as  though  I  can't  do  anything  but  dream  of 
Thora.  Her  smiles  are  before  me  now,  just  as  if  she 
were  here." 

They  remained  in  the  parlor  until  an  early  morning 
hour,  discussing  their  good  fortune.  When  about  to  leave 
they  heard  singing,  accompanied  by  the  beautiful  sound 
of  musical  bells,  and  the  tinkling  of  mandolins,  floating 
over  the  lake,  and,  on  looking  out,  saw  a  belated  boating 
party  approaching  the  jetty. 

Their  experience  evidenced  the  fact  that  at  the  time 
of  our  story  there  existed  opportunities  for  readily  and 
indefinitely  extending  association.  In  the  public  parlors 
strangers  came  together  for  the  first  time,  to  enjoy  at 
once  each  other's  society.  There,  too,  young  men  and 
women,  meeting  amidst  refinement,  laid  aside  the  ancient 
convention  which  required  that  before  they  speak  they 
must  be  properly  introduced.  Thus  untrammeled,  woman 
had  no  reasons  for  brooking  a  matrimonial  compromise 
because  of  a  limited  circle  of  acquaintances,  then  entering 
a  marriage  in  which  there  was  little  or  no  love.  On  the 
contrary,  she  could  easily  enlarge  her  social  contact  until 
she  was  joined  by  the  lover  whom  God  sent  to  make  her 
happy. 

29 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

As  to  Thora,  nothing  is  known  concerning  her  previous 
experiences.  t 

Teresa,  however,  had  been  proffered  a  few  opportuni- 
ties for  marriage  before,  but  they  had  not  won  her  favor. 
She  longed  to  love  and  to  be  loved,  so  she  would  give 
and  accept  love  only.  Simulation  could  not  satisfy  the 
craving  of  her  heart. 


30 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  IX. 


MUSIC. 


Thora  and  Teresa  would  have  remained  longer,  but 
duty  called  them  away.  After  accompanying  them  to  the 
ship  on  which  they  sailed,  Carl  and  George  started  south- 
ward by  train. 

While  traveling  Carl  explained,  "The  love  for  music 
always  was  general.  In  the  past  there  was  no  regular 
effort  to  develop  talent,  although  it  is  perhaps  true  that 
almost  everybody  could  either  have  become  a  good  singer 
or  else  a  good  player  on  some  instrument,  if  they  had  had 
the  training.  But  at  that  time  it  cost  a  barrel  of  money 
to  get  a  first-class  musical  training,  and  the  bulk  of  the 
people  simply  didn't  have  the  means  to  do  it." 

"It  must  be  different  to-day." 

"Decidedly  so,  because  the  best  musical  education  is 
free  to  all.  Then  every  community  has  amateur  and 
professional  bands,  orchestras  and  glee  clubs.  The  ama- 
teurs find  that  an  agreeable  way  of  spending  a  large  part 
of  their  spare  time.  They  have  many  vocal  and  instru- 
mental contests,  presided  over  by  professional  instruc- 
tors, between  individuals  and  between  bands,  orchestras, 
and  so  on." 

"Then  the  theory  is  to  get  music  right  into  the  atmos- 
phere ?"  George  ventured. 

"Exactly ;  that's  the  idea.  Why,  at  any  social  gather- 
ing these  days  anybody  can  do  their  turn  with  either  a 
vocal   or   instrumental   number.      All   that   adds   a   great 

31 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

charm  to  life,  and  the  people  get  much  pleasure  from  it; 
that  is,  I  mean,  producing  music  themselves,  and  not 
merely  listening  to  it.  Every  town  has  its  regular  grand 
opera  season." 

"How  is  the  department  organized?" 

"Under  the  government;  so  we  have  a  national,  not  a 
continental  head.  The  present  Secretary  of  Music  is  a 
woman.  She's  at  the  head  of  this  work  for  the  United 
States.  The  contests  between  state  organizations  for  the 
national  prizes  are  held  under  her  charge.  Then  she  also 
has  charge  of  the  national  bands  and  orchestras,  directs 
their  tours,  and  supplies  them  for  important  occasions." 

"Are  all  children  taught  music?" 

"Yes,"  Carl  responded,  "every  child  studies  music  until 
a  certain  age.  Everywhere  there  are  juvenile  orchestras, 
tands  and  glee  clubs,  made  up  entirely  of  children." 


32 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

CHAPTER  X.  .'- 

TALENTS  DEVELOPED. 

Carl  continued,  "A  large  part  of  the  leisure  that  people 
have  these  days  is  used  in  developing  whatever  talents 
they  have." 

"That  seems  to  show  that  man  is  getting  benefit  as 
well  as  pleasure  from  short'  working  hours." 

"It  certainly  does.  They  used  to  put  up  arguments  to 
prove  that  if  man  wasn't  kept  under  ceaseless  toil  he 
would  degenerate.  It  was  noticed  that  among  the  lower 
forms  of  life  animals  degenerate  when  they  get  their  food 
easily.  Then  it  was  said  the  same  thing  would  happen  to 
man.  Why,  the  very  beginnings  of  civilization  prove  that 
the  opposite  rule  worked  with  man.  One  thing  that  helped 
civilization  to  begin  was  the  ability  to  get  food  easily; 
that  gave  people  time  to  think  and  develop  the  mind.  It 
was  pointed  out  long  ago  that  civilizations  began  in 
Egypt,  Mexico  and  Peru  at  times  when  those  countries 
were  not  in  communication  with  each  other.*  They  are 
warm  countries,  where  it's  easy  to  get  food.  At  present 
the  laborer  gets  his  living  more  easily  than  ever  before, 
and  you  want  to  take  particular  notice  that  his  leisure  is 
used  to  improve  himself.  The  government  encourages 
that  by  offering  rewards  to  prize  winners." 

"How  are  the  victors  rewarded?" 

"As  to  that  every  community  has  its  own  ideas.    You 

*  "History  of  (he  Intellectual  Development  of  Europe"  (1876), 
by  John  William  Draper.    Vol.  i,  pp.  85  and  86. 

33 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

see,  George,  the  bringing  of  all  industry  together  didn't 
mean  that  everything  would  get  to  a  dead  level,  which 
would  be  what  those  at  the  head  want  to  make  it.  There 
is  local  independence.  Some  localities  crown  the  victori- 
ous with  wreaths  of  laurel,  others  give  medals,  at  some 
places  money  rewards  are  given,  and  still  others  cling  to 
the  theory  that,  as  all  the  contestants  do  their  best,  none 
is  entitled  to  special  praise." 

"Do  not  all  those  occasions  make  much  social  activ- 
ity?" 

"Of  course  they  do,"  Carl  agreed ;  "at  most  places  it 
is  the  custom  to  hold  some  function  in  honor  of  the  bands, 
athletic  teams,  and  so  on,  that  take  part  in  the  contests. 
Then  the  rehearsals  of  the  theatrical  amateurs  are  the 
means  of  pleasant  association  among  the  young  people, 
and  serve  as  stepping  stones  to  professional  careers.  Then, 
too,  the  musical,  oratorical  and  dramatic  events,  even  in 
the  smallest  communities,  bring  on  many  teas,  receptions 
xind  the  like.  Why,  George,  the  many  noble  friendships 
there  are  to-day  come  largely  from  the  passion  for  culti- 
vating talents." 


34 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  BOULEVARDS. 

The  tourists  stopped  at  Washington,  D.  C.  Remain- 
ing three  weeks,  they  visited  all  places  worth  seeing,  and 
took  special  interest  in  the  offices  from  which  the  aflfairs 
of  the  United  States  were  directed. 

The  essence  of  what  Carl  explained  was  that  the  War 
Department  had  become  extinct,  but  that  there  had  arisen 
under  the  national  government  such  departments  as 
Music,  The  Stage,  Scientific  Research  and  Inventions. 

On  their  last  night  there  they  telephoned  a  request  that 
a  motor  car  for  two  be  ready  to  start  early  the  follow- 
ing day.  When  they  called  for  it  in  the  morning  an  at- 
tendant asked,  "Do  you  expect  to  return  the  car  here?" 

"We  really  don't  know.  We  are  traveling  without  any 
set  plans.  We  may  turn  it  in  several  hundred  miles  away 
from  here.  We  want  it  not  longer  than  a  week,"  Carl 
replied. 

They  departed,  and  after  a  thirty-minute  run  the  air 
became  uncomfortably  warm.  Consequently  they  in- 
creased their  speed  and  were  soon  moving  swiftly.  They 
were  journeying  over  one  of  the  continental  boulevards. 

Those  were  magnificent  thoroughfares,  forming  a  sys- 
tem which  reached  all  the  important  centers  in  North 
America.  They  had  smooth,  hard  surfaces,  easy  grades 
and  good  alignments,  and  consisted,  throughout  the 
greater  part,  of  four  roads — one  for  low-speed,  another 
for  high-speed  travel,  in  each  direction.     On  either  side 

35 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

wherever  practicable  there  were  shade  trees,  and  a  ride 
over  those  highways  was  Hke  a  journey  through  an  end- 
less park. 

On  the  high-speed  roads  you  could  drive  your  car  at 
its  most  rapid  pace,  while  signals  told  you  whether  the 
block  ahead  was  clear.  There  were  many  places  where 
the  road  stretched  a  hundred  miles  or  more  without  a 
curve. 

Splendid  villas,  sumptuous  hotels  and  beautiful  inns 
that  catered  to  travelers  were  located  at  convenient  sites 
along  the  route.  You  could  travel  far  before  seeing  two 
such  places  that  were  duplicates,  either  in  construction 
or  in  the  landscape  gardening  of  their  environs. 

At  some  places  in  the  mountains  the  boulevards  climbed 
tortuous  windings,  then  mounted  an  inclined  plane  to  a 
height  from  which  you  could  look  into  gorges  thousands 
of  feet  beneath.  In  those  gorges  torrents  were  harnessed 
and  the  power  transmitted  to  stations  along  the  way. 
Crossing  viaducts  of  dizzy  height  at  other  points,  the 
boulevard  continued  through  tunnels  brilliant  with  elec- 
tric lights,  emerged,  and  followed  long  slopes  where,  nar- 
rowed to  a  single  road  and  clinging  to  the  mountainside, 
it  went  on  to  open  up  more  scenery  that  had  never  been 
viewed  from  a  railway  car. 


36 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  XII. 

A   MOUNTAIN   RESORT. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  the  travelers  came  to  a  resort 
in  Virginia. 

It  was  a  hotel  situated  on  a  mountain,  overlooking  a 
fertile  valley,  and  picturesque  gardening  enhanced  the 
natural  beauty  of  the  surroundings.  The  place  was  listed 
in  the  tourists'  directory  as  one  of  quiet,  where  the  mere 
presence  of  a  guest  indicated  that  his  purpose  in  being 
there  was  to  seek  friendship.  Hence  those  who  never 
before  had  known  each  other  were  companions,  whether 
they  met  in  the  drawing-room,  during  strolls  through  the 
neighboring  country,  or  while  dining. 

Carl  and  George  found  it  delightful  to  reach  so  pleas- 
ant a  haven.  Soon  after  their  arrival  they  repaired  to 
the  veranda,  where  dinner  was  being  served.  Even  be- 
fore seating  themselves,  they  noticed  the  pleasing  aroma 
of  ripe  strawberries,  mingled  with  that  of  honeysuckle, 
being  wafted  thither  by  the  breeze. 

The  sun  was  dipping  slowly  into  the  distant  horizon, 
shedding  a  gorgeous  wealth  of  iridescent  colors  over  the 
western  sky. 

Soon  they  heard  the  faint  but  beautiful  winding  of 
bugles.  It  was  floating  up  from  the  valley,  summoning 
the  garden  workers  to  quit  their  labors. 

After  dinner  the  young  men  accompanied  a  party  to 
the  roof  garden,  where  many  were  gathering.  When 
the  social  pleasures  were  over,  Carl,  on  going  to  the  office, 

37 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

found  letters  from  the  girls  awaiting  both  George  and 
himself.  All  thoughts  then  vanished  from  the  minds  of 
our  friends  except  those  about  their  sweethearts. 

Before  retiring  Carl  wrote  a  long  reply  to  Teresa. 
George  said  he  wanted  to  muse  a  day  or  two  over  Thora's 
letter  before  answering  it ;  then  went  to  his  room. 

The  moon  looked  fine;  heaven  was  spangled  by  stars, 
while  here  and  there  a  cloud  was  sailing  with  stately 
pace.  Under  that  subtile  sky  he  sat  long  at  the  window, 
dreaming  of  his  loved  one  beyond  the  sea. 


.vs 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  XIII. 

A    FLORAL   DIVISION. 

In  the  morning  they  resumed  their  journey,  and  after 
traveling  southward  several  hours  the  road  led  through 
a  rose  plantation.  It  was  but  one  among  many  great 
tracts  given  exclusively  to  floriculture. 

The  enormous  increase  in  that  business  had  been  due 
partly  to  the  tobacco  habit  having  become  extinct,  which 
left  a  vast  acreage  of  most  fertile  soil  for  other  purposes 
than  growing  that  narcotic. 

The  tourists  noticed  that  in  all  directions,  as  far  as 
could  be  seen,  there  stretched  an  expanse  of  nothing  but 
roses.  The  atmosphere  was  laden  with  sweet  odors,  and 
they  drew  deep,  delicious  breaths  of  the  air  that  blew 
across  those  fields. 

Close  to  noon  they  arrived  at  a  small  town  which  was 
the  shipping  headquarters  for  the  plantation  and  stopped 
to  see  the  establishment.  They  visited  the  perfumery  fac- 
tory and  the  assorting  rooms,  where  roses  were  being  pre- 
pared for  shipment. 

The  work  was  being  done  by  hundreds  of  women,  who 
were  chatting  and  mingling  pleasantry  with  their  duties. 
In  fact,  it  seemed  as  though  they  had  gathered  for  social 
enjoyment.  Frescoed  walls,  paneled  ceilings  and  tesselat- 
ed  floors  united  to  make  the  rooms  agreeable  working 
places. 

George,  while  talking  with  one  of  the  men,  questioned, 
"You  are  continually  making  shipments,  are  you?" 

39 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"Trainloads  every  day  just  now,  sir,"  was  the  response. 

"What  are  the  smallest  quantities  you  ship  in  one  con- 
signment?" 

"Nothing  less  than  a  carload." 

"Where  do  you  ship  to?" 

"All  points  in  the  district  that  has  been  assigned  to 
us.  We  don't  ship  to  any  place  else  without  orders  from 
the  division  manager." 

"Suppose  a  bad  season  would  cut  down  your  crop  so 
much  that  you  couldn't  fill  all  orders?" 

"Then  we  scale  down  every  order  by  the  same  per- 
centage, so  that  each  one  gets  its  proportionate  share." 

"What  would  you  do  if,  in  an  extra  good  season,  the 
crop  overruns  your  orders?" 

"Notify  the  manager  of  our  division  as  to  how  much 
excess  we  have.  He  would  give  us  shipping  instructions 
for  it." 

"Who  do  you  consign  the  shipments  to,  the  hotels 
and  places  that  use  them?" 

"No,  we  consign  to  the  distributing  depots.  The  depot 
superintendent  at  the  destination  gives  orders  as  to  ex- 
actly where  the  deliveries  are  to  be  made." 

"This  is  such  nice  work  I  should  think  your  employ- 
ment manager  would  be  snowed  under  with  applications 
from  women  who  wanted  to  be  here." 

"That  is  right,  sir ;  he  is.  Most  all  applicants  get  the 
chance,  if  they  have  patience.  Through  prombtions,  trans- 
fers and  retirements,  vacancies  are  turning  up  all  the 
time." 

George  thanked  his  informant  for  the  courtesies  re- 
ceived and  rejoined  Carl  to  lunch  at  the  inn. 


40 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  PRESS. 

During  a  conversation  in  the  evening  George  men- 
tioned something  about  newspapers,  and  it  developed  that 
the  gentleman  with  whom  he  was  talking  was  a  journal- 
ist. After  knowing  that,  George  inquired,  "How  is  your 
line  of  business  handled?" 

"We  are  not  run  by  the  government,  because  the  press 
must  be  free.  An  editor  can  attack  any  official  or  any 
feature  of  government;  he  is  held  in  check  only  by  the 
laws  of  libel.  There  is  no  editor  who  has  a  series  of 
papers  under  him.  Each  paper  is  run  independent  of 
others.  Take  my  own  case,  for  instance.  I  edit  a  coun- 
try weekly,  and  hold  the  legal  title  to  all  property  needed 
for  the  business,  but  don't  have  the  right  either  to  sell 
that  property  or  leave  it  by  will.  On  my  retirement  the 
title  to  the  property  goes  to  the  new  editor." 

"How  is  he  selected  ?" 

"I  appoint  him  myself,  but  if  I  appoint  an  incompe- 
tent, an  appeal  can  be  taken  and  a  different  person  put 
in  charge." 

"Well,  with  small  publications  like  yours,  you  can't 
get  the  benefit  of  doing  things  on  a  big  scale,  can  you?" 

"Certainly,  we  can.  The  editorial  rooms  are  in  my 
home  town,  but  the  typesetting  and  printing  are  done  in 
a  nearby  city,  according  to  my  orders.  Many  other  local 
weeklies  for  that  part  of  the  country  are  also  printed  at 
the  same  establishment  where  my  paper  is  printed.  That 
way  we  save  much  work." 

41 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"Is  your  paper  free?" 

"It  is,  but  the  official  register  has  periodicals  arranged 
by  classes,  and  each  class  is  given  a  price ;  that  is,  not  a 
price  that  a  subscriber  must  pay,  but  one  that  is  used 
merely  to  keep  track  of  what  is  done.  Then  I  am  credit- 
ed with  the  value  of  my  subscription  list,  figured  at  the 
price  given  the  class  my  paper  belongs  to.  Then  I  am 
charged  with  every  bit  of  labor  and  material  needed  for 
the  business,  and  my  credit  must  be  enough  to  balance 
the  charges.  Were  a  balance  against  me  to  accumulate 
for  a  certain  period,  judgment  would  be  executed  against 
the  paper.  The  paper  would  either  be  closed  or  put 
under  another  editor,  as  would  seem  best." 

"What  would  happen  if  the  credit  were  to  run  far  ahead 
of  the  charges  against  an  editor?" 

"In  that  way  he  would  sooner  or  later  get  an  offer  to 
fill  a  better  position." 

"Then  you  have  promotion  open,  without  having  the 
newspapers  run  in  such  a  way  that  one  mind  can  domi- 
nate them  all?" 

"Certainly,  and  good  work  in  our  line,  as  in  others, 
paves  the  way  to  better  positions." 

"But  the  officials  who  fix  the  price  for  your  paper  could 
put  you  out  of  business  if  you  attacked  them.  They 
would  simply  make  the  price  of  yours  so  small  you 
couldn't  show  a  credit  balance,"  George  suggested. 

"You  are  mistaken,  because  if  they  reduce  the  price 
for  one,  they  must  reduce  it  for  the  whole  class.  Such 
changes  can  only  be  made  for  proper  reasons.  That  is, 
if  the  value  of  the  things  that  newspapers  use  goes  down, 
the  price  for  all  newspapers  goes  down,  too.  If  there  is 
no  such  reason  they  must  leave  hands  off." 

"How  are  the  big  dailies  run?" 

42 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"Each  one  is  in  charge  of  a  board  of  directors,  all  ex- 
perienced newspaper  men.  They  hold  title  jointly  to  the 
property,  and  are  the  executive  power." 

"Doesn't  it  seem  as  if  those  papers  could  easily  hand  in 
a  false  subscription  list,  and  get  a  bigger  credit  than  was 
right?" 

"There  are  ways  to  prevent  that,"  declared  the  editor. 
"All  those  papers  are  sent  out  either  by  mail  or  through 
newsstands,  and  the  newspaper  mailing  rooms  are  branch 
post-offices.  The  post-office  people  see  that  the  mailing 
list  is  genuine,  and  report  to  the  auditor  of  newspapers 
the  number  mailed.  Then  the  postmasters  at  the  places 
where  papers  are  mailed  to  report  on  any  that  are  refused. 
The  men  running  the  newsstands  also  send  to  the  auditor, 
reports  as  to  the  number  of  each  paper  given  out  at  their 
stands.  The  auditor's  total  is  a  check  on  the  subscription 
list  claimed  by  a  newspaper  management." 


A^ 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  STAGE. 

The  two  travelers,  having  surrendered  the  motor  car 
at  the  inn,  continued  their  journey  by  rail.  They  stopped 
next  at  Ballwood,  West  Virginia,  to  call  on  an  acquaint- 
ance who  was  managing  grand  opera  there. 

Soon  after  they  were  ushered  into  the  manager's  pri- 
vate office  he  entered,  greeted  them  with  a  warm  wel- 
come, and  said:  "I'm  sorry  to  tell  you,  boys,  I'm  in 
trouble." 

"What's  the  matter?"  Carl  questioned. 

"My  leading  soprano  was  caught  in  an  accident  to-day 
and  will  be  laid  up  for  a  couple  of  weeks.  She  was  to 
sing  the  principal  role  in  a  new  opera — a  first-night  per- 
formance— announced  for  to-night.  Her  first  under- 
study isn't  in  good  voice.  There  is  a  second  one  who 
could  do  the  part.  I  don't  care  to  put  her  on,  though, 
without  more  practice,  but  I'll  ring  up  the  curtain  on  time 
to  the  minute,  with  the  finest  cast " 

There  was  a  feverish  ring  at  the  telephone.  The  man- 
ager excitedly  grasped  the  receiver,  and  after  a  short  talk 
through  it,  turning  to  his  callers,  said,  "There's  a  good 
soprano  at  Yardley — that's  a  hundred  and  three  miles 
?iway  from  here — and  I'm  trying  to  get  her  to  help  me  out. 
Expect  an  answer  soon." 

The  bell  rang  again,  and  the  message  that  came  was, 
"Miss  Jones  would  sing  for  you,  but  the  last  train  for 
Ballwood  has  gone." 

44 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"If  Miss  Jones  will  get  ready,  I'll  have  a  special  bring 
her  down,"  he  shouted  into  the  transmitter. 

The  manager,  then  calling  up  the  railway  superintend- 
ent's office,  asked  what  the  charge  would  be  for  an  elec- 
tric special  car  to  bring  one  passenger  from  Yardley,  on 
extra  quick  time.  Upon  being  informed,  he  ordered  the 
car  to  be  sent. 

Addressing  his  guests,  he  continued,  "If  we  don't  keep 
our  performances  up  to  the  mark  the  public  won't  come 
to  our  houses.  I'd  rather  have  this  house  charged  with 
the  cost  of  bringing  another  soprano  here  than  to  risk  a 
first-night  performance  that  wasn't  the  best." 

George  then  queried,  "Why,  you  don't  find  the  public 
hard  to  please,  do  you?" 

"Not  if  we  give  them  good  shows.  They  are  certainly 
critical,  though,  and  in  every  way.  These  days  an  audi- 
ence gets  restless  if  we  don't  begin  on  time  to  the  min- 
ute. If  any  theatre  would  get  a  reputation  for  keeping 
its  audiences  waiting  after  the  time  to  begin,  the  people 
would  stay  away  from  that  place." 

"The  public  ought  not  to  be  so  irritable.  There's  plenty 
of  time,"  George  contended. 

"Yes,  but  there  are  more  opportunities,  too,  and  time 
is  more  precious  than  ever.  The  people  have  social  en- 
gagements after  the  opera,  and  won't  put  up  with  delays." 

Carl  then  argued,  "It  looks  like  a  law  of  the  physical 
world  operating  in  the  social  organism.  We  live  under 
a  more  perfect  system  than  competition,  and  scientists  say 
that  as  you  go  from  low  to  higher  forms  of  life  you  find 
greater  regularity  in  their  workings." 

"Is  there  any  preference  shown  in  giving  out  tickets?" 
George  asked. 

"None  at  all.     You  can  get  them  personally,  or  order 

45 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

them  by  letter  or  telephone,  and  they  will  be  mailed  to 
you.  After  the  tickets  for  any  performance  are  all  gone 
late-comers  have  to  take  seats  for  a  later  one,  no  matter 
who  they  are." 

Word  soon  came  from  the  train  despatcher  that  the 
prima  donna  was  en  route,  and  would  reach  Ballwood  an 
hour  before  the  curtain  was  to  rise. 

The  manager,  eased  by  that  assuring  news,  invited  his 
callers  to  a  restaurant  across  the  street.  While  dining 
George  requested  information  as  to  how  stage  afifairs 
were  organized. 

The  manager  explained,  "Into  different  branches,  such 
as  grand  opera,  comic  opera,  melodrama,  comedy,  vaude- 
ville and  others.  Every  manager  of  a  place  of  entertain- 
ment is  responsible  for  the  attendance  and  for  giving 
something  the  public  like.  He  has  complete  authority 
over  his  place,  except  on  general  matters.  He  can  bring 
out  any  production  he  likes." 

"The  stage,  no  doubt,  has  gone  through  an  evolution, 
just  like  other  things,  has  it  not?" 

"You  can  be  sure  it  has.  One  outcome  of  that  is 
that  now  we  handle  the  work  in  such  a  way  that  a  woman 
of  the  most  delicate  sensibilities  can  spend  her  life  be- 
hind the  footlights,  and  her  sensibilities  are  never  offend- 
ed." 

Having  finished  dinner,  the  trio  lingered  for  a  while. 
When  they  returned  to  the  office,  an  hour  and  fifteen  min- 
utes after  they  had  left  it.  Miss  Nina  Jones  greeted 
the  manager  with  a  pleasant  smile  and  reported  for  duty. 

Our  friends  remained  to  hear  the  opera  that  was  given 
and  soon  after  midnight  started  westward  by  train. 


46 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


AGRICULTURE. 


They  journeyed  to  Chicago,  the  industrial  capital  of 
North  America,  and  upon  their  arrival  went  to  the  De- 
partment of  Agriculture.  A  guide  was  assigned  to  show 
them  through  the  building,  and  in  reply  to  an  inquiry 
he  began : 

"From  these  offices  we  have  general  control  of  North 
American  agriculture." 

"Then  your  authority  extends  to  all  farming  matters 
throughout  North  America,  does  it?*'  George  queried. 

"Yes;  but  we  look  out  only  for  general  questions,  not 
local  ones.  At  the  head  of  the  Department  is  the  Secre- 
tary of  Agriculture.  Directly  under  him  are  the  chiefs, 
who  are  at  the  head  of  the  different  lines  of  agriculture. 
There  is  a  chief  that  looks  out  for  each  particular  line, 
as  cereals,  fruits,  berries,  vegetables,  and  the  like.  Each 
ciiief  has  a  staff  of  specialists.  Then  to  do  the  actual 
field  work  there  are  the  high  divisions,  grand  divisions  and 
lower  subdivisions  that  North  America  is  divided  into. 

"Now,  our  object  is,"  the  guide  went  on,  "to  make 
every  section  of  the  country  self-sustaining  as  far  as  pos- 
sible. That  keeps  down  freight  traffic,  but  doesn't  pre- 
vent our  growing  fruit  on  the  Pacific  Coast  and  sending 
it  to  the  Atlantic  Coast,  because  the  greater  fertility  of 
the  western  orchards  overbalances  the  cost  of  transporta- 
tion. When  we  locate  production  centers  all  such  matters 
are  wciglicd  against  each  other. 

47 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"If  a  certain  high  division  can  produce  just  enough  of 
a  certain  crop  to  supply  its  own  people,  and  can't  pro- 
duce any  more,  then  the  handling  of  that  crop  for  that 
territory  is  entirely  under  the  local  officers.  The  con- 
tinental officials  wouldn't  have  anything  to  say  about  such 
a  case,  because  their  authority  is  only  over  the  crops  that 
must  be  raised  in  one  high  division  for  shipment  to  an- 
other high  division." 

"How  do  they  get  their  information  as  to  what  will  be 
needed  ?" 

"From  the  superintendents  of  distributing  depots  in 
each  high  division.  They  all  report  to  us  what  they  will 
need  that  they  can't  get  from  their  own  territory.  Then 
the  chief  that  has  charge  of  the  crop  in  question  decides 
as  to  where  the  extr^a  quantity  is  to  be  grown." 

"Suppose  there  would  be  a  case  where  the  chief  or- 
dered a  certain  subordinate  to  raise  that  extra  quantity, 
and  it  would  turn  out  that  the  subordinate  already  had 
demands  for  everything  his  land  could  yield?" 

"Such  a  conflict  couldn't  happen,"  answered  the  guide. 
"Here  in  this  office  our  lists  show  the  exact  acreage  that 
every  high  division  has  in  excess  of  its  own  needs.  If  its 
manager  has  his  entire  arable  land  taken  up  by  local  needs 
he  doesn't  report  an  excess  acreage  to  us.  As  a  result, 
our  orders  for  producing  that  excess  go  to  where  there 
is  some  extra  acreage. 

"To  illustrate:  Let  us  take  the  most  important  cereal 
— wheat.  That  is  under  the  Chief  of  Wheat.  He  don't 
attend  to  anything  but  wheat.  When  it  is  time  to  get 
the  ground  ready  for  seeding  he  knows  how  much  wheat 
and  flour  there  is  on  hand.  Then  the  reports  that  his 
office  gets  from  the  depot  superintendents  show  what  each 
high  division  will  need  for  the  coming  year  beyond  what 

48 


THE  NmV  REGIME 

it  can  get  from  its  own  territory.  From  that  data  the 
chief's  calculators  work  out  the  quantity  the  continental 
authorities  must  plant.  They  make  allowance  for  possible 
deficiency  in  the  crops ;  that  percentage  has  been  found 
out  by  many  years  of  experience. 

"But  what  I  was  going  to  say,  when  the  wheat-planting 
orders  have  been  signed  by  the  chief  all  the  high  division 
managers  of  agriculture  are  instructed  as  to  how  many 
acres  they  are  to  put  into  wheat.  They  divide  their  plant- 
ing among  their  grand  divisions :  all  the  grand  division 
managers  divide  theirs  among  their  general  divisions,  and 
so  on  down  the  line  to  the  subsection.  In  that  way  every 
subsection  manager  in  North  America  who  grows  winter 
wheat  knows  how  much  to  plant,  and  all  that  is  to  be 
shipped  out  of  the  high  division  where  grown  is  planted 
under  orders  from  Chicago.  Then,  when  it  is  time  to  get 
ready  for  planting  spring  wheat,  the  same  thing  is  done 
for  it." 

"It  must  take  quite  a  while  for  such  an  order  to  get 
to  the  end  of  the  line,"  Carl  suggested. 

"Not  so  long,  either.  Seeding  orders  are  all  tele- 
graphed. From  the  time  the  chief  signs  the  order  it  is 
only  a  few  hours  until  the  instructions  have  gone  down 
every  step  in  the  ladder  and  every  field  manager  who 
grows  the  crop  knows  what  to  do  and  goes  ahead." 

"How  are  the  other  crops  besides  wheat  handled?" 

"In  the  same  way.  The  way  it  is  done  insures  that 
crops  are  grown  at  the  points  of  greatest  advantage." 

"Do  you  raise  the  same  kind  of  a  crop  on  the  same 
land  year  after  year?" 

"We  do  whenever  it  is  advisable.  All  fertilization  is 
under  chemists,  and  they  put  back  into  the  soil  the  exact 
elements  that  a  crop  takes  out.     In  that  way  the  soil  is 

49 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

not  worn  out  when  we  raise  the  same  kind  of  crop  on  it 
for  a  number  of  years." 

"Does  the  Secretary  have  any  appointing  power  ?" 

"He  appoints  his  immediate  subordinates.  They  often 
make  long  tours  of  inspection  with  him  in  private  trains." 

"Well,  could  the  Secretary  order  a  new  style  oi  plow 
or  other  implement  to  be  used  all  over  North  America?" 

"Oh,  no ;  such  matters  are  decided  on  by  the  local  offi- 
cers, who  personally  direct  the  field  work — that  is,  the 
subsection  managers.  Each  of  them  decides  those  things 
for  himself.  They  keep  their  eyes  open  for  new  inven- 
tions. Centralization  is  just  enough  to  give  agriculture  a 
responsible  head,  who  sees  that  the  supply  is  kept  up 
to  the  demand  and  prevents  overproduction.  The  local 
managers  are  all  given  as  free  a  hand  as  possible.  The 
department  regulations  give  the  local  manager  the  right 
of  initiative  and  let  him  go  ahead  with  all  local  matters, 
without  sending  a  recommendation  up  the  ladder  and 
waiting  for  it  to  come  back  approved.  We  don't  ham- 
per the  man  on  the  spot.     That  gives  efficiency." 

The  guide  then  took  the  visitors  through  the  great 
and  magnificent  building,  where  they  saw  clerks  and 
statisticians  at  work. 


5^ 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  XVII. 

MANUFACTURES. 

Soon  thereafter,  while  Carl  and  George  were  discuss- 
ing manufactures,  Carl  explained,  "Manufactures  are  or- 
ganized on  a  scheme  similar  to  that  for  agriculture.  The 
authority  of  each  chief  extends  to  all  work  in  his  line 
throughout  North  America.  Understand,  of  course,  that 
the  boundaries  for  the  manufacturing  units  are  not  the 
same  as  those  for  agriculture.  That  comes  from  the 
differences  in  their  sources  of  raw  materials  and  points 
where  their  finished  products  go  to.  What  gives  the 
right  boundary  lines,  say,  for  a  division  for  one  kind  of 
business  doesn't  necessarily  give  them   for  others." 

"What  does  the  head  of  the  department  do?"  George 
questioned. 

"He  sees  that  all  lines  of  manufacture  work  together 
as  one  machine,  has  general  supervisory  powers  over 
them,  decides  disputes  between  any  two,  and  so  on.  Then 
the  chief  of — well,  take  iron  and  steel,  for  example,  why, 
he  decides  questions  of  a  general  nature  over  his  line  of 
work,  fixes  the  points  that  each  plant  shall  draw  its  raw 
materials  from  and  the  territory  its  finished  product  goes 
to.  He  also  decides  where  a  steel  plant  shall  be  moved  to 
if  its  location  must  be  changed.  Those  changes  must  be 
made  sometimes  on  account  of  new  discoveries  of  fuel 
or  ore  or  exhaustion  of  mines." 

"He  might  not  get  it  to  the  point  that  gives  great- 
est saving,"  George  ventured. 

51 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"Don't  be  afraid  of  that.  He  would  talk  the  matter 
over  with  his  staff  officers  first.  Then  there  are  the 
Boards  on  Changes.  They  pass  on  every  change  that  is 
made  in  locating  centers  of  production,  and  see  that  the 
thing  is  done  so  as  to  save  the  most  work.  Now,  the 
orders  to  everybody  that  fixes  centers  of  production  are 
to  keep  down  freight  traffic.  To  do  that  every  manufac- 
turing plant  has  a  certain  territory  it  keeps  supplied.  They 
don't  haul  goods  a  thousand  miles  if  a  factory  a  hundred 
miles  away  makes  the  goods,  you  see." 

"Who  fixes  the  technicalities  of  manufacture  for  every 
plant?" 

"Neither  the  Secretary  nor  the  chiefs  have  the  right  to 
do  that;  it  is  done  by  the  plant  managers.  They  try  to 
get  ahead  of  each  other,  and  that's  why  they  always  want 
to  do  better  work  than  before.  Each  plant  is  charged 
with  all  labor  and  materials  it  uses,  and  is  credited  with 
everything  it  makes.  Results  must  be  shown.  They  are 
worked  out  every  year,  based  on  percentages  of  economy, 
efficiency  of  the  working  force,  quality  of  product, 
promptness  with  which  cars  are  unloaded,  and  so  on." 

"The  plant  managers  must  have  many  people  under 
them,  do  they  not?" 

"Seldom  less  than  three  thousand." 

"Well,  has  a  factory  manager  the  right  to  put  in  a  new 
invention?" 

"Certainly." 

"How  about  a  machine  having  no  merit  that  he  invent- 
ed himself,  and  to  get  a  reputation  as  an  inventor  he  used 
such  a  machine  in  his  factory?" 

"That  would  be  the  worst  way  in  the  world  for  him 
to  try  to  get  such  a  reputation.  His  factory  accounts 
would  tell  the  story  by  showing  bad  results,  to  his  own 

52 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

discredit.      If   the   decrease   became    chronic     he    would 
be  removed." 

Our  friends  then  started  for  a  dressmaking  estabhsh- 
ment.  Upon  reaching  it  they  saw  that  the  building  was 
thirty  stories  high  and  occupied  an  entire  block.  After 
entering  they  noticed  that  the  workrooms  were  supplied 
with  large,  plate  glass  windows,  permitting  a  flood  of  light 
to  brighten  the  interior.  Due  to  perfect  ventilation,  the 
air  was  pure  and  sweet.  The  dressmakers,  arrayed  in 
pretty  costumes,  were  making  gowns  that  promised  to  be 
superb  creations. 


5.^ 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XVIII.  ' 

RAILWAYS. 

Carl  then  led  the  way  to  the  Railway  Department.  A 
guide  was  secured,  who,  after  being  informed  by  the  vis- 
itors concerning  the  object  of  their  call,  began: 

"All  the  railroads  in  North  America  are  under  one 
management.  It  is  claimed  that  the  present  scheme  gives 
absolute  economy.  These  offices  are  the  general  head- 
quarters." 

"Who  administers  the  North  American  system?" 
George  asked. 

"The  Secretary  of  Railways.  It  is  his  duty  to  look 
after  the  general  questions  connected  with  the  entire 
property.  His  time  is  taken  up  altogether  by  mainte- 
nance and  operation,  for  there  are  no  legal  or  financial 
problems  to  deal  with.  Among  others  on  his  staff  are  the 
Chief  Engineer,  General  Superintendent,  Auditor,  Gen- 
eral Passenger  Agent,  General  Baggage  Agent.  They  all 
have  continental  jurisdiction,  and  are  appointed  by  the 
Secretary,  with  the  consent  of  the  directors." 

Carl  then  inquired,  "Suppose  a  new  road  is  to  be  built 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  or  from  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  to  Alaska;  what  is  the  procedure?" 

"The  Secretary  has  jurisdiction.  He  would  get  the 
consent  of  the  railway  directors,  the  Marshal  of  North 
America  would  then  be  asked  to  call  out  the  continental 
auxiliaries,  and  the  line  would  be  pushed  to  completion. 
The  right  of  appeal  against  the  Secretary's  decision  exists 
as  a  protection  in  extraordinary  cases,  and  if  he  shows 

54 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

gross  lack  of  judgment  his  decision  could  be  set  aside. 
But  that  right  of  appeal  has  never  been  used  once,  for 
he  and  his  advisers  do  not  put  down  a  single  spike  that 
IS  not  needed. 

"The  authority  of  these  offices  here  extends  only  to 
matters  that  are  not  local.  Here  we  make  up  the  time- 
tables for  all  the  trains  that  cross  the  continent  or  make 
any  very  long  run.  For  all  trains  running  entirely  within 
the  limits  of  a  lower  unit,  the  time-tables  are  made  up  by 
the  officers  of  that  unit,  and  those  trains  are  completely 
under  those  officers." 

Carl  remarked  that  something  had  been  mentioned 
about  an  Auditor,  but  as  travel  was  free  such  an  office 
appeared  to  be  unnecessary. 

"The  Auditor  sees  that  each  of  the  higher  units  is. 
charged  with  the  material  and  labor  it  uses,  and  that 
it  is  credited  with  the  traffic  it  handles.  In  the  way 
results  are  figured  out,  it  counts  for  many  more  points 
in  a  division  superintendent's  favor  to  have  no  killed  or 
injured  than  to  be  ahead  merely  on  efficiency  or  econ- 
omy." 

"Couldn't  the  Auditor  put  a  bad  record  against  some 
officer  he  didn't  like  ?" 

"Never,  the  clerical  force  of  that  officer  also  keeps 
track  of  what  he  does ;  their  figures  must  check  with 
the  Auditor's." 

"How  is  the  introduction  of  new  appliances  managed  ?" 

"The  continental  authorities  only  look  after  the  things 
that  must  be  uniform  everywhere;  other  matters  are  de- 
cided on  by  lower  officers." 

"They  certainly  seem  to  have  things  up  to  the  mark, 
for  I  noticed  on  our  trip  that  the  roads  are  in  fine  physi- 
cal condition,"  Carl  observed. 

55 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"Never  in  the  history  of  railroading  have  they  been 
as  good.  Our  hnes  are  well  built,  and  we  make  fast 
runs.  What  is  demanded  from  the  operating  officials 
is  time,  and  every  arm  of  the  service  bends  to  bring  that 
about." 

The  guide  then  asked  the  young  men  whether  they 
had  come  to  Chicago  over  a  fast  line.  On  being  told  that 
they  had  traveled  only  on  the  slow  lines  to  see  the  country, 
he  turned  to  George  and  continued : 

"Our  through  trunk  lines  can  make  time.  They  were 
not  built  with  any  idea  of  developing  the  country  they 
touch,  but  for  through  business  only.  They  have  no  way 
stations,  but  only  division  terminals.  Such  a  line  does 
not  climb  mountains,  but  pierces  them  with  straight  tun- 
nels, and  what  few  curves  it  has  have  great  radii.  Its 
length  is  simply  the  shortest  possible.  There  are  no  grade 
crossings  either,  and  no  drawbridges,  the  divisions  are 
long,  and  the  division  terminals  are  the  only  points  where 
the  main  tracks  have  any  connection  with  other  rail- 
roads. On  those  lines  there  is  one  running  time  for  every 
train,  freight  as  well  as  passenger ;  it  is  twenty-nine  hours 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  With  all  trains  going 
at  the  same  speed,  and  no  way  stations,  there  is  no 
need  either  for  sidings  or  switches.  The  enginemen  are 
not  annoyed  by  intricate  masses  of  switch  and  crossing 
signals,  but  have  only  the  block  signals  to  watch,  and 
there  is  no  danger  from  open  switches.  On  railroads 
operated  that  way  you  can  make  time,  and  do  it  safe- 
ly. When  one  of  those  trunk-line  trains  leaves  a  ter- 
minal it  pulls  out  quick,  is  soon  going  at  its  top  speed, 
and  then  sails  along  steadily  at  over  a  hundred  miles 
an  hour,  and  does  not  stop  or  slow  up  or  cross  a  switch 
until  it  gets  into  the  yards  at  the  next  division  terminal." 

56 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"Those  lines  must  be  a  railroad  man's  paradise," 
George  suggested. 

"Certainly,  they  are.  The  men  are  not  put  on  the 
trunk-line  service  until  they  first  prove  themselves  trust- 
worthy on  the  local  roads." 

"But,  tell  me,"  George  requested,  "how  can  you  han- 
dle maintenance-of-way  material  on  such  roads?  If 
you  have  no  sidings,  work  trains  can't  get  out  of  the  way 
of  through  trains,  can  they  ?" 

"In  the  center  of  the  roadbed  there  is  a  track  used  only 
by  work  trains.  At  the  places  where  they  make  their 
headquarters  the  center  track  is  either  depressed  or  ele- 
vated, so  the  work  trains  leave  the  main  roadbed  either 
under  or  above  the  main  tracks.  At  such  places  the  cen- 
ter track  is  connected  with  outside  railroads,  so  as  to 
bring  in  materials  to  keep  the  lines  in  repair." 

"I  don't  believe  they  could  have  had  a  railroad  run 
that  way  in  past  ages.    Do  you  think  so?" 

"It  would  have  been  mechanically  possible  to  built  it, 
but  financially  they  could  not  do  it.  They  w^ere  able  to 
do  it  only  after  railway  consolidation  reached  a  point  when 
one  great  company  had  enough  through  traffic  to  support 
such  a  road.  To-day  we  have  such  roads  running  north 
and  south,  too,  to  carry  flowers  and  perishable  produce 
up  from  the  South." 

"Well,  now,  I  should  think  running  at  more  than  a 
hundred  miles  an  hour  would  give  a  tourist  a  confused 
idea  of  the  country,"  George  ventured. 

"People  who  are  traveling  to  see  the  country  do  not  go 
on  those  lines." 

"Do  you,  on  the  whole,  handle  the  same  amount  of 
traffic  with  less  labor  than  they  did  in  the  past?"  Carl 
questioned. 

57 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"Do  we?  I  should  say  so!  The  economies  brought 
about  by  putting  all  railroads  under  one  head  is  something 
enormous.  We  have  done  away  with  such  work  as  look- 
ing after  the  advertising,  seeing  that  competitors  do  not 
get  too  much  business,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  As  a 
result  of  all  manufacturing  being  done  on  a  big  scale^  we 
have  put  an  end  to  less-than-carload  freight.  That  is 
why  we  do  not  need  freight  transfer  stations  nor  the 
armies  of  clerks  and  warehousemen  that  it  used  to  take 
to  bill  and  rebill,  check  and  recheck,  handle  and  rehandle 
the  thousands  of  trainloads  of  such  freight  that  was  car- 
ried every  year  in  the  past.  What  few  articles  we  have 
to  ship  in  small  quantities  go  by  express.  .  Our  yards  are 
never  congested  by  as  much  making  and  remaking  of 
freight  trains  as  there  once  were.  None  of  our  lines 
is  crowded  with  more  traffic  than  it  can  keep  moving  on 
time,  while  a  parallel  line  has  less  than  it  can  handle. 
We  always  send  the  excess  trafific  to  the  line  that  is  best 
feble  to  handle  it." 

"I  imagine,"  George  replied,  "you  have  things  about 
perfect." 

"Not  by  any  means,"  his  informant  asserted.  "The 
Secretary  would  likely  lose  confidence  in  any  official 
who  continually  reported  everything  working  to  perfec- 
tion. He  wants  them  to  be  dissatisfied  with  the  way 
things  are  going,  so  that  they'll  try  to  make  improve- 
ments. While  he  is  not  personally  responsible  for  details, 
at  the  same  time  he  follows  up  the  men  who  are  in  charge 
of  lower  units.  Inspectors  from  headquarters  are  likely 
to  drop  in  any  place  at  any  time  during  the  night  to  see 
if  the  men  are  wide  awake." 

"I  should  think,"  Carl  responded,  "that  with  few  work- 
ing hours  you  wouldn't  have  the  same  trouble  that  both- 

58 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

ered  the  night  despatchers  in  the  past  so  much — the  sleep- 
ing telegrapher." 

"I  will  bet  you  there  is  less  sleeping  on  duty  than  ever 
before.  But  we  are  still  dealing  with  human  nature ;  to 
think  that  everybody  would  always  do  exactly  what  they 
ought  to  do,  would  be  assuming  too  much." 

The  guide  added,  "Above  everything  else,  the  great 
aim  in  this  business  is  to  keep  down  the  number  of  killed 
and  injured.  Statistics  show  that  at  the  present  time,  in 
proportion  to  the  people  who  travel,  there  are  as  few 
injured  by  the  railroads  as  are  injured  by  accidents  in 
their  own  homes.  While  on  our  swiftest  trains  you  are 
just  as  safe  as  if  you  were  in  your  own  home." 


59 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

HOTELS. 

In  the  evening  Carl  said  he  had  had  a  conversation 
with  the  clerk  about  what  goes  on  behind  the  scenes  in 
the  hotel  business.  George  then  requested  some  informa- 
tion about  it. 

Carl  replied,  "Now,  you  see,  the  function  of  a  hotel 
is  local,  and  never  can  be  anything  else.  So  this  busi- 
ness isn't  organized  like  agriculture  and  railroads,  because 
if  it  had  either  a  national  or  continental  head  it  would 
be  topheavy.    It  has  a  different  system. 

"The  business  is  handled  by  districts.  Each  of  the 
larger  cities  is  one  district  in  charge  of  a  general  man- 
ager, and  a  board  of  directors,  to  whom  he  is  responsi- 
ble. Then  each  hotel,  restaurant  and  place  that  serves 
the  public  with  food  and  shelter  is  under  its  own  man- 
ager. Each  of  the  small  cities  is  the  center  of  such  a 
district,  and  all  the  hotels  and  so  forth  in  that  locality 
work  together  harmoniously.  There  is  no  higher  group 
than  the  district.  The  object,  you  understand,  is  to  find 
the  exact  amount  of  business  to  put  under  a  single  control 
that  will  give  the  most  saving  of  labor.  That,  of  course, 
had  to  be  found  out  by  experiment." 

"It  seems  to  me,  with  all  Nuch  places  in  one  locality  run 
tinder  one  head,  there  would  be  a  monotonous  lack  of 
variety  that  would  get  tiresome." 

"Yo"  are  mistaken,  and  the  reason  is  this:  The  gen- 
eral manager  and  the  directors  nave  no  authority  over  de- 

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THE  NEW  REGIME 

tails.  Over  all  matters  that  concern  any  hotel  by  irself 
the  manager  of  it  has  complete  authority  himself.  Now, 
a  manager's  game  is  to  give  his  guests  exactly  what  they 
want,  and  he  bends  to  their  wishes.  Whether  there  shall 
be  gaiety  or  quiet,  whether  the  meals  shall  be  served  for- 
mally or  informally,  with  or  without  music,  and  all  such 
things,  are  just  what  a  majority  of  the  permanent  guests 
A'ant." 

"Well,  then,  what  do  the  general  manager  and  the  di- 
rectors exist  for?" 

"Only  to  look  out  for  affairs  that  concern  the  whole 
district ;  for  example,  they  see  that  it  has  enough  hotels, 
decide  on  the  location,  size,  and  so  forth  for  new  ones." 
"How  do  hotels  get  their  supplies?" 
"They   order   from   the   distributing  depots,   and   then 
the  depot  superintendents  see  that  the  supplies  come  from 
the  points  that  save  the  most  handling." 
"Is  there  rivalry  in  the  hotel  business  ?" 
"Indeed  there  is.     The  managers  try  hard  to  give  the 
best  service  and  most  courteous  attention.     If  any  hotel 
shows   a    falling  off  in  trade   or   has  complaints   made 
against  it,  why  the  general  manager  looks  into  the  matter. 
There's  a  woman  in  charge  of  this  hotel  now.    You  know 
in  this  business,  men  and  women  rise  to  the  highest  offices 
on  equal  footing." 

Dinner  over,  they  went  to  the  parlor,  where  they  saw 
many  guests  conversing.  Joining  a  group,  they  were 
soon  talking  with  two  Frenchmen,  who  were  on  a  long 
tour,  studying  the  latest  practices  in  the  manufacture  of 
silks. 


6i 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  XX. 

RESEARCH. 

From  Chicago  the  tourists  traveled  to  Faraday,  Wis- 
consin. That  was  a  place  where  about  twelve  thousand 
scientists  resided,  the  only  other  permanent  inhabitants 
being  the  industrial  force  that  catered  to  them. 

Soon  after  arriving,  George  questioned,  "How  is  scien- 
tific work  controlled?" 

''It  is  under  the  political  powers,  because  it  is  of  an 
educational  nature.  Every  scientist  is  his  own  manager ; 
he  investigates  whatever  he  wants  to,  and  in  the  way  he 
thinks  best.  Yet,  often  a  number  of  these  people  work 
together  under  a  chief  that  they  select.  They  do  that  to 
cover  the  questions  of  science  that  are  too  big  to  be  gone 
over  by  one  person  in  a  lifetime  working  alone.  The 
authority  of  the  United  States  government  officials  at  the 
head  of  this  department  is  only  over  such  matters  as 
building  new  towns  like  this  when  Congress  authorizes 
them,  and  seeing  that  they  get  their  supplies  regularly,  and 
so  forth." 

"How  many  professional  scientists  are  there  in  the 
world?" 

"Over  a  million  altogether." 

"How  do  they  get  the  appointments?" 

"The  young  men  and  women  who  show  the  greatest 
capacity  for  this  work  in  the  universities  are  chosen. 
Then,  there  are  many  thousands  of  amateurs  spending 
their  spare  time  at  such  work  for  pleasure.     When  they 

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THE  NEW  REGIME 

make  discoveries,  they  are  rewarded  by  being  appointed 
to  this  department." 

"Wliat  i>  llie  IcngtlT  of  the  working  da}-  for  these 
people?" 

"Scientists  smile  when  you  talk  about  a  four-hour 
working  day.  They  are  not  legally  bound  to  work  more 
than  that,  but  the  charm  they  get  from  it  keeps  them  at 
it  all  the  time.  About  the  only  time  they  take  off  is  what 
they  must  have  for  relaxation." 

Having  secured  an  automobile,  they  began  a  tour  of 
the  place.  As  they  moved  slowly  over  the  clean  asphalt 
streets,  they  saw  great  and  beautiful  laboratories  many 
stories  in  height,  surrounded  by  trees  and  velvety  lawns. 
It  appeared  like  a  city  in  a  park,  and  a  tranquil  atmos- 
phere prevailed. 

Carl  explained,  "These  buildings  all  have  every  known 
appliance  for  research.  Those  laboratories  to  the  right 
are  used  by  chemists." 

"What  questions  are  they  working  on?" 

"Everything  in  ^their  line.  Some  are  on  the  transmu- 
tation of  the  metals.  After  they  can  turn  the  base  metals 
into  the  precious  ones,  our  streets  will  be  paved  with 
gold.  In  that  corner  building  some  of  them  are  develop- 
ing the  great  possibilities  of  synthetic  chemistry.  Many 
materials  are  to-day  being  made  simply  by  putting  ele- 
ments together,  and  it  is  expected  that  in  the  near  future 
everv  material  can  he  made  that  wav. 

"In  the  adjoining  building  are  the  physicists.  They,  as 
well  as  the  chemists,  are  trying  to  use  the  energy  of  com- 
bustible materials  without  fire.  When  they  make  that 
practicable,  the  great  waste  of  energy  caused  by  using 
steam  boilers  and  engines  will  be  stopped ;  energy  can 
then  be  extracted  from  coal  direct." 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"But  the  supply  of  coal  is  limited." 

"True,"  Carl  assented,  "and  they  are  looking  out  for 
that ;  they  are  harnessing  the  energy  of  sunlight.  A  solar 
engine  that  has  just  been  invented  is  now  being  installed  in 
a  power  station  for  test  in  actual  service.  In  addition, 
it  has  long  been  thought  that  the  story  about  Apollo  plac- 
ing the  big  stones  on  the  walls  of  Troy  by  playing  his 
lyre,  and  the  story  about  tearing  down  the  walls  of  Jeri- 
cho by  blowing  trumpets,  have  some  great  truth  behind 
them.  If  so,  music  is  a  possible  source  of  energy.  Many 
investigators  are  on  that  problem.  After  they  have  solved 
it  our  power  stations  will  be  places  where  music  of  rav- 
ishing beauty  will  be  played  day  and  night. 

"Here  are  the  biological  laboratories.  The  biologists 
are  trying  to  give  us  perpetual  youth.  Long  ago  it  was 
known  that  certain  ferments  would  reverse  others,  and 
after  it  was  found  that  physical  life  is  merely  a  form  of 
fermentation  it  began  to  be  thought  that  possibly  growth 
is  reversible.  If  that  is  true,  why,  then,  with  given  con- 
ditions, life  can  be  held  stationary  when  a  desired  point  is 
reached.  That  would  be  perpetual  youth,  and  biologists 
say  it  is  a  scientific  possibility." 

They  passed  the  electrical  laboratories,  and  as  they 
approached  the  astronomical  observatories  Carl  contin- 
ued :  "Some  astronomers  have  taken  the  doctrine  of  the 
reversibility  of  growth  into  the  heavens,  and  claim  that 
some  time  the  cooling  of  the  sun  will  be  stopped.  They 
are  developing  hypotheses  along  that  line." 

Next  were  pointed  out  the  great  halls  where  the  world's 
famous  scientists  delivered  lectures.  It  was  there  where 
tourists  gathered  by  thousands,  for  glimpses  into  the  al- 
luring and  august  sublimity  of  the  scientific  world — its 

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far-away  realms  in  which  the  wizard  inhabitants  of  Fara- 
day constantly  lived. 

While  returning  to  the  hotel  Carl  said,  "It  is  the  gen- 
eral belief  now  that  almost  anything  you  can  imagine  is 
possible ;  that  is,  if  it  would  either  add  to  man's  conveni- 
ences, make  his  work  easier,  or  give  him  any  elevating 
pleasures.  They  say  that  sooner  or  later  all  those  things 
will  be  done." 


6q 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


INVENTIONS. 


The  young  men  then  went  to  a  town  in  Minnesota, 
where  ahnost  five  thousand  inventors  lived. 

Carl  said  that  the  Department  of  Inventions  was  under 
the  national  government,  and  was  controlled  in  a  manner 
similar  to  the  handling  of  the  scientists,  there  being  no 
regimentation,  and  no  inventor  being  under  a  superior 
who  could  dictate  to  him. 

When  they  were  in  the  offices  Carl  continued,  "Here 
is  where  each  inventor's  account  is  kept ;  that  is,  not  an 
account  of  his  personal  needs,  but  the  stuff  he  uses  on  his 
inventions." 

"How  does  he  get  those  things?" 

"I'm  not  sure  what  system  they  have  here.  I  think 
he  makes  a  requisition,  and  his  account  is  charged  with 
what  he  gets.  Then,  after  he  brings  out  something  good, 
he  is  credited  with  it.  The  balance  is  the  value  his  serv- 
ices bring  to  the  public.  Small  articles  of  general  use 
are  reckoned  from  the  extent  to  which  the  public  demand 
them ;  a  machine  by  the  labor  or  fuel  it  saves." 

"Must  these  inventors  do  their  own  mechanical  work?" 
George  inquired. 

"Not  at  all ;  there  are  skilled  draughtsmen,  mechanics, 
pattern-makers,  electricians,  and  so  on  to  do  that.     An 

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THE  NEW  REGIME 

inventor  can  give  instructions  to  manufacture  any  appli- 
ance according  to  his  ideas,  and  it  will  be  made;  or,  if  he 
prefers,  he  can  do  the  work  himself." 

They  went  through  some  draughting  rooms,  pattern- 
shops  and  foundries.  Approaching  a  large,  open  space, 
they  saw  a  group  of  men  preparing  a  few  air  cars  to 
start  on  experimental  flights.  One  car,  representing  an 
improvement  on  the  then  existing  systems  of  aerial  navi- 
gation, had  mounted  to  a  considerable  height  and  was  de- 
scribing a  circle  under  perfect  control. 

George  asked,  "If  a  machine  is  invented  that  reduces 
the  labor  necessary,  say,  in  shoe  factories,  by  ten  per 
cent.,  then,  as  I  understand  it,  all  who  work  in  such  fac- 
tories have  their  working  day  made  ten  per  cent,  shorter  ?" 

"It  doesn't  operate  that  way.  All  departments  aim  to 
keep  their  working  day  the  same  length.  In  the  case  you 
mention  some  people  would  be  transferred  from  shoe  fac- 
tories to  other  work.  The  aim  is  to  let  everybody  share 
the  benefits  that  labor-saving  inventions  bring,  and  all 
departments  get  their  share  of  those  benefits." 

"I  see.  In  the  past  the  workingman  opposed  labor- 
saving  machines,  because  when  a  shop  put  them  in  some 
workmen  were  discharged." 

"Precisely;  and  under  such  conditions  the  working- 
man  never  could  get  the  complete  benefit  of  inventions — 
they  endangered  his  living.  Now  inventions  are  always 
welcomed,  because  the  way  things  are  now  there  is  a 
clear  track  ahead  for  an  indefinite  reduction  of  the  work- 
ing day  until  it  reaches — well,  there's  no  telling  how  small 
a  limit.  The  truth  is.  George,  what  the  inventors  are 
really  trying  to  do  is  to  abolish  work  altogether,  and  it 
looks  as  though  sooner  or  later  they  will  do  it." 

"I  should  think  that,  with  all  industry  organized,  a  deci- 

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sion  by  some  one  official  might  forever  keep  an  inventor 
from  having  his  invention  tried." 

"You  are  wrong.  That  thing  is  carefully  guarded.  The 
right  to  introduce  new  appliances  is  given  to  various  offi- 
cials. Take,  for  instance,  a  new  locomotive:  the  patent 
may  be  presented  to  the  division  superintendents  of  mo- 
tive power,  and  every  railway  division  on  earth  is  open 
to  an  inventor.  If  the  locomotive  is  worth  anything  it 
will  surely  be  tried  somewhere.  As  a  final  protection  to 
the  inventor,  if  his  appliance  has  been  rejected  by  every- 
body having  authority  to  introduce  it,  he  can  appeal  to 
the  Board  on  Improvements.  The  case  would  then  be 
taken  up  by  experts  in  the  line  the  appliance  represents 
and  it  would  be  given  an  official  trial." 

"How  about  some  small  article  for  general  use?" 

"That  could  be  submitted  to  a  factory  manager  making 
such  articles.  If  it  is  worth  making,  a  small  quantity  is 
manufactured,  and  whether  it  proves  successful  depends 
on  whether  it  takes  well  with  the  public.  Bringing  out  a 
new  article  that  becomes  popular,  and  that  was  previously 
turned  down  by  others,  is  a  feat  that  manufacturing  man- 
agers are  on  the  lookout  for." 

"Isn't  it  possible,  though,  that  someone  who  has  the 
right  to  put  in  new  appliances  might  reject  something 
presented  by  a  person  he  didn't  like?" 

"The  inventor  can  easily  overcome  that.  He  has  the 
right  to  present  his  machine  through  an  agent,  and  keep 
his  own  name  concealed." 

"Is  the  situation  the  same  with  composers,  dramatists 
and  lines  like  that?" 

"Yes,  entirely  the  same  as  with  inventors." 

On  the  roof  garden  that  evening  our  friends  became 
acquainted  with  various  men  and  women  inventors,  from 

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THE  NEW  REGIME 

whom  they  learned  much  that  was  of  interest.  They  tar- 
ried with  a  small  party  to  enjoy  the  pleasant  breeze.  Hav- 
ing secured  accommodations  in  a  sleeping  car  to  depart 
about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  they  went  to  the  station 
soon  after  the  party  broke  uj\ 


69 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  XXII. 

INTERNATIONAL    RELATIONS. 

It  had  been  their  intention  to  go  to  the  Pacific. 
George's  thoughts,  however,  so  often  reverted  to  Thora 
that  he  owned  he  cared  more  for  love  than  for  seeing 
additional  sights  in  America.  The  girls,  moreover,  had 
repeatedly  written  entreating  that  Carl  and  George  give 
up  touring  the  United  States  and  join  them  soon.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  contemplated  trip  to  the  western  coast  was 
off,  for  the  young  men  decided  to  hasten  across  the  At- 
lantic by  the  first  vessel  they  could  catch. 

Going  to  St.  Paul,  they  took  passage  on  the  next  east- 
ern trunk-line  train  for  a  ride  over  one  of  the  fast  roads. 
Eleven  hours  later  they  were  in  New  York  City. 

At  the  proper  office  they  secured  European  passes. 

"What  are  these  new  passes  for?"  George  asked. 

"Why,  they  give  us  the  same  rights  in  Europe  that  the 
others  do  in  America.  These  new  ones,  you  notice,  have 
dates  printed  on  them ;  the  last  date  is  the  time  the  pass 
expires.    By  then  we  are  supposed  to  be  out  of  Europe." 

"Suppose  we  were  to  be  detained  there?" 

"We  would  merely  get  an  extension.  Well,  as  I  was 
about  to  tell  you,  when  we  land  abroad  the  date  of  our 
landing  will  be  punched  on  these  passes,  and  when  we 
finally  leave  there  the  date  we  leave  will  also  be  punched 
by  an  officer  who  will  take  a  record  of  the  passes.  That 
record  will  show  how  long  we  were  in  Europe,  and  as  the 
average  daily  cost  of  maintaining  a  tourist  is  known,  that 

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figure  will  be  used  as  a  basis  on  which  to  charge  America 
and  credit  Europe." 

"Then,  do  the  different  nations  have  settlements  with 
each  other?" 

"A  record  of  all  such  things  is  kept,  but  for  statistical 
purposes  only.  The  theory  these  days  is  that  when  nature 
blessed  certain  parts  of  the  world  with  great  agricultural 
and  mineral  resources,  the  intention  was  that  that  wealth 
is  to  be  first  for  the  inhabitants  of  such  parts,  and  the  ex- 
cess for  whoever  needs  it  the  most.  On  any  other  theory 
people  living  in  some  countries  might  be  kept  poor. 

"To  illustrate:  If  Iceland  had  to  give  an  equivalent 
for  everything  she  received,  the  condition  of  her  people 
would  be  very  poor,  simply  because  their  country  has  in- 
ferior natural  resources.  That  is  not  their  fault.  We 
follow  different  ethics  than  were  followed  in  the  past, 
and  are  not  willing  to  see  our  fellow  beings  anywhere, 
who  are  industrious,  live  with  few  blessings  of  life  when 
the  world  has  plenty  of  them.  We  send  to  Iceland  tropi- 
cal woods,  cotton  and  such  things  in  the  unfinished  state, 
and  the  inhabitants  there  work  those  things  up  for  their 
own  use.  That  gives  them  employment  and  at  the  same 
time  abundance.  In  return  for  that  they  export  what- 
ever their  country  can  yield  beyond  their  own  needs." 

"Do  the  different  countries  come  into  contact  much  in 
an  educational  way?" 

"Yes,  very  much.  By  agreement  among  all  the  nations 
every  university  is  open  to  students  from  anywhere,  so 
that  every  student  to-day  can  be  educated  at  any  univer- 
sity in  the  world  that  he  selects." 


71 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

MONEY. 

"As  I  understand  it,"  George  observed,  "there  are  no 
money  transactions  at  all  among  the  nations,  are  there?" 

"Yes,  there  are  some,  but  only  for  handling  the  things 
that  are  too  scarce  to  be  made  free.  The  percentage  of 
such  goods  is  small,  compared  to  all  business,  so  very 
little  money  is  needed.  One  mint  at  the  federal  capital 
is  able  to  turn  out  all  the  coin  needed  for  the  world.  Of 
course,  there  is  a  uniform  coinage  everywhere." 

'T  judge,  then,  that  the  bulk  of  the  people  can't  get 
rare  articles,  since  they  have  no  money." 

"But,  you  see,  there  is  a  minor  incentive  to  bring  out 
the  best  efforts  from  all.  Among  those  who  receive  money 
are  officers  above  a  certain  rank,  and  other  persons  who 
have  performed  some  service  of  exceptional  value.  Those 
opportunities  are  open  to  all.  Now,  I  don't  mean  to  tell 
you,  George,  that  at  present  money  and  the  things  it  will 
buy  are  all  that  people  strive  for.  Money  rewards  won't 
cease,  perhaps,  until  there  is  absolute  equality." 

"Money  isn't  used,  is  it,  where  a  factory  pays  for  raw 
materials?" 

"No ;  but  all  goods  must  have  a  price,  whether  they  are 
free  to  the  public  or  not.  That  is  necessary,  so  that  a 
transfer  charge  can  be  made  when  the  finished  product 
from  one  factory  passes  on  as  the  raw  material  for  the 
next  during  the  process  of  manufacture." 

"How  are  those  prices  fixed?" 

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"By  the  Boards  on  Values,  who  issue  price  Hsts  at  regu- 
lar intervals.  If  a  new  labor-saving  machine  is  put  into 
a  certain  factory,  then  the  prices  of  the  goods  made  by 
all  such  factories  will  go  down  in  proportion  to  the  labor 
saved. 

"Now,  the  pass  is  collateral  to  the  monetary  system.  A 
pass  has  nothing  on  it  corresponding  to  dollars  and  cents, 
and  when  a  person  wants  anything  at  a  place  where  he 
isn't  known  his  pass  is  merely  inspected.  It  is  renewed 
at  intervals ;  at  some  places  annually,  at  other  places  it 
runs  longer,  according  to  experience  and  opinions  in  the 
different  localities." 

"Well,  after  a  man  gets  his  pass,  he  could  disappear, 
go  to  a  distant  part  of  the  country  and,  without  work- 
ing, get  all  the  things  he  wanted,"  George  argued. 

"You  are  wrong;  he  couldn't,"  Carl  retorted.  "He 
would  soon  be  captured.  Every  pass  is  numbered  and 
dated.  If  a  worker  disappears  mysteriously,  every  de- 
partment that  gives  things  to  the  public  would  be  ad- 
vised to  be  on  the  lookout  for  him.  If  he  travels  on  foot 
he  has  to  show  that  he  has  the  right  to  do  that." 

"He  could  steal  his  way  on  freight  trains,"  George 
contended,  triumphantly. 

"Never :  because  the  secret  service  would  be  instantly 
advised.  Then,  all  railroad  crews  are  an  arm  of  the  se- 
cret service;  it's  a  prescribed  part  of  their  duties.  Oh, 
no;  such  a  game  simply  can't  he  played,  and  everybody 
knows  it." 

"I  will  admit,  then,  that  the  question  about  people  try- 
ing to  shirk  duty  is  only  of  academic  interest,  but  grant 
for  a  moment  that  many  would  refuse  to  work.  What 
would  be  the  solution  ?" 

"In  some  ways  just  as  it  was  in  the  past.     If  a  man  re- 

73 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

fuses  to  work  and  has  no  money  to  buy  what  he  wants, 
he  can't  get  anything.  But  there  would  be  this  difference  r 
To-day  the  lot  of  a  tramp  is  harder  than  it  was  in  the 
past.  At  that  time  he  could  beg.  To-day  there  is  no 
excuse  for  idleness ;  everybody  can  have  work.  If  a  man 
begs  now  he  simply  gives  his  secret  of  laziness  away  and 
would  be  arrested  at  once.  There  are  some  people  these 
days  who  spend  part  of  a  vacation  traveling  on  foot  to 
get  the  exercise  and  see  the  country,  but  they  have  their 
passes,  stop  at  hotels  and  inns  and  have  all  free  privi- 
leges on  the  way.  Why,  George,  your  supposition  is  sim- 
ply this :  You  want  to  suppose  that  a  given  number  of 
people  who  have- good  incomes  will  make  special  efforts 
to  have  their  own  incomes  stopped.  You  can  wager 
there's  no  great  danger  of  that." 

"I  guess  that's  right,  Carl.  I  suppose  such  a  fear 
could  only  be  based  on  the  idea  that  was  once  general, 
that  people  were  naturally  lazy." 

"Yes,"  Carl  agreed,  ''in  ancient  times  a  large  percent- 
age of  the  people  toiled  under  remorseless  drudgery,  and 
it  isn't  sur])rising  that  they  didn't  like  work.  To-day, 
with  delightful  working  places,  short  hours,  and  so  on, 
people  get  pleasure  out  of  their  daily  tasks  and  do  not 
try  to  shirk  their  duty.  That  is  why  the  use  of  the 
pass  instead  of  money  became  practicable." 

"I  don't  suppose  it  had  any  effect  on  social  customs 
in  any  way,  did  it?" 

"Oh,  yes ;  it  did.  For  instance,  it  has  all  but  wiped  out 
the  custom  of  giving  presents.  That  custom  caused  much 
unnecessary  work ;  a  big  percentage  of  the  presents  given 
were  such  as  the  recipients  had  no  need  for.  After  any 
class  of  goods  became  free,  it  naturally  followed  that 
such  goods  were  not  given  as  presents.    The  custom  now 

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THE  NEW  REGIME 

is  confined  to  rare  articles.  The  pass  came  because  it 
wiped  out  much  useless  work,  not  only  by  ending  the 
production  and  handling  of  things  that  are  not  needed, 
but  it  enables  the  things  that  are  needed  to  be  handled 
with  less  labor  than  if  money  were  used.  The  pass  isn't 
a  permanent  thing,  either.  In  some  places  now  they  are 
experimenting  with  a  view  to  ending  it  altogether.  The 
claim  is  made  that  if  it  were  abolished  the  work  of  the 
secret  service  in  seeing  that  no  one  takes  illegal  advan- 
tage of  the  situation  would  be  less  than  is  necessary  to 
make  out  the  passes,  as  is  done  now.  It  is  generally  ad- 
mitted that  sooner  or  later  the  pass  will  go  out  of  use 
altogether." 


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THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

DETECTIVES. 

Our  friends,  while  walking  along  leisurely,  approached 
a  small  park.  As  the  day  was  pleasant,  they  seated  them- 
selves on  a  bench  under  a  large  tree. 

George  began,  "Then,  however  much  the  new  mone- 
tary system  saves,  there  is  still  need  for  a  secret  service, 
is  there?" 

"Exactly;  because  people  are  still  human,  and  once  in 
a  while  somebody  goes  astray." 

"Do  you  hear  about  the  detectives  often?" 

"No;  because  that  part  of  stealing,  murder  and  other 
crimes  that  the  competitive  system  caused  has  stopped. 
Now  and  then  somebody  gets  caught  at  nepotism 
and " 

Before  Carl  could  complete  what  he  was  about  to  say, 
a  man  sitting  close  by,  who  had  overheard  the  conversa- 
tion, introduced  himself  as  a  retired  detective,  saying 
that  he  knew  the  service  well. 

"How  many  men  are  on  the  force?"  George  asked. 

"Let  me  see.  Just  seventy-two  on  the  national  force. 
Any  of  them  fellows  is  likely  to  be  sent  any  place  in  the 
world  on  a  chase.  The  states  each  got  a  local  force  of 
anywheres  from  five  to  a  dozen  men.  That's  all  the  regu- 
lars there  are." 

"Are  they  kept  busy?" 

"It's  often  there  isn't  much  doing.  When  things  get 
in  that  shape,  why,  the  chief  he  sends  the  men  out  over 
the  line  to  keep  awake  and  report  if  everything  is  O.  K. 

76     ■ 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

Sometimes  he'll  get  them  together  and  give  them  a  talk. 
He'll  take  up  an  actual  case,  don't  you  know,  and  thrash 
out  every  way  to  handle  it.  His  idea  is  to  see  that  the 
men  get  some  good  out  of  the  time.  When  things  get 
dull  he's  afraid  the  men  might  get  rusty.  He  don't  want 
that." 

"May  I  ask  what  is  the  nature  of  the  cases  you  get?" 
Carl  questioned. 

"Why,  I  worked  on  a  case  once  seven  months.  A  man- 
ager in  Florida  and  another  one  in  Oregon  got  in  a 
mixup.  Each  of  them  promoted  the  other's  son  to  a  fine 
job  when  the  sons  didn't  deserve  promotion.  They  trad- 
ed favors,  don't  you  knovv^ ;  thought  they  were  so  far 
apart  they  were  safe.  But  we  got  the  evidence  together 
that  convicted  both  the  managers." 

"I  imagine  your  men  are  good  at  trapping  such  fel- 
lows," George  remarked. 

"Good,  did  you  say  ?  That's  what  they  are.  But,  then, 
once  in  a  while  we  get  on  the  wrong  scent,  because  we're 
only  human  and  can  make  mistakes.  It  always  was  that 
way  in  this  business,  and  I  gviess  always  will  be.  But  the 
present  chief  is  not  letting  many  villains  get  away.  I'm 
giving  you  the  straight  goods,  because  I  know  the  chief 
personally ;  lunched  with  him  many  a  time.  Such  things 
as  I've  been  telling  you  about  don't  often  happen,  but 
when  fellows  try  such  games  they're  soon  up  against  it." 

"How  many  prisoners  have  you  behind  the  bars  now  ?" 

"There's  three  hundred  and  seventy-eight  caged  now; 
anyhow,  that  was  the  number  by  the  last  annual  report. 
That's  the  total  for  the  United  States." 

After  the  detective  had  related  in  detail  some  extreme- 
ly interesting  adventures  he  bade  his  new  acquaintances 
adieu  and  left  them. 

77 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE   LAW. 

George  then  expressed  the  behef  that  the  secret  serv- 
ice was  supported  by  strict  laws,  and  requested  Carl  to 
tell  him  something  about  them. 

The  latter  began,  "As  the  world  progresses  less  law  is 
needed.  That  is  why  we  have  few  courts  and  not  much 
litigation  to-day.  There  were  many  statutes  that  died  a 
natural  death,  and  the  present  laws  are  simply  those  of 
the  past  changed  to  meet  a  new  state  of  facts." 

"Which  were  the  ones  that  died  ?"  George  asked. 

"Anti-trust  laws,  those  concerning  labor  in  factories, 
adulteration  of  food,  employment  of  children,  compulsory 
education  and  a  host  of  others.  They  all  became  extinct 
because  they  were  no  longer  needed." 

"Do  you  mean  to  say  we  have  no  compulsory  educa- 
tion?" George  queried. 

"At  present  people  seek  education  without  being  driven 
to  it.  Compulsion  always  was  obnoxious.  In  past  ages 
economic  conditions  made  compulsory  education  neces- 
sary, for  the  families  that  needed  what  the  children  could 
earn  were  usually  the  ones  that  put  the  children  to  work 
instead  of  sending  them  to  school." 

"What  statutes  have  survived?" 

"Such  as  refer  to  domestic  relations,  contract,  agency, 
sales  and  commercial  transactions  generally.  Those  are 
some  of  them." 

"How  is  it  that  we  need  the  ones  about  commercial 
transactions?" 

78 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"Well,  personal  property  of  a  rare  nature  and  realty 
that  is  owned  by  private  estates  are  bought  and  s(;ld  as 
before.  Those  transactions  must  be  supported  by  posi- 
tive rules.  The  great  volume  of  litigation  that  has  ended 
was  that  resulting  long  ago  from  the  conflicts  among 
the  many  competing  business  men  and  corporations." 

"Who  holds  title  to  all  the  wealth  to-day?" 

"The  government  owns  what  it  needs  for  its  purposes ; 
the  industrial  power  owns  the  implements  of  industry, 
raw  materials  and  undistributed  goods.  Title  to  distrib- 
uted goods  is  held  by  the  people  who  have  the  goods, 
because  when  any  article  is  given  to  a  consumer  the 
title  passes  with  it  to  the  consumer." 

"Is  every  lawyer  bound  to  stay  in  the  public  service?" 

"No;  they  have  the  same  right  that  every  other  per- 
son has ;  that  is,  to  quit  the  public  service  and  go  into  pri- 
vate business.  But  when  a  man  does  that  he  has  to  pay 
the  tax  levied  on  those  not  in  the  public  service,  which 
they  give  instead  of  working;  that  would  entitle  him  to 
all  free  privileges." 

"The  jurisdiction  of  the  courts  is  no  doubt  the  same 
as  it  used  to  be,"  George  ventured. 

"They  now  can  issue  injunctions  against  any  official 
who  permits  the  service  in  his  department  to  degenerate. 
There  were  ample  reasons  for  establishing  that  right. 
While  competition  existed  it  was  noticed  that  in  those 
lines  where  governments  served  the  public  there  was 
carelessness  with  details,  while  employes  were  often  ex- 
tremely discourteous  to  the  public.  Less  of  those  things 
was  seen  where  business  was  under  competition,  and  for 
that  reason  many  people  said  competition  was  preferable 
to  a  single  control. 

"Then,    as   competition    was   being    inished    overboard, 

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THE  NEW  REGIME 

the  legislators  vested  in  the  citizen  an  absolute  personal 
right,  based  on  the  theory  that  every  arm  of  the  service 
must  be  conducted  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  public.  If 
there  is  discourtesy  or  slovenliness  in  any  department,  any 
citizen  can  use  that  right  to  get  an  injunction  against  the 
official  in  charge,  ordering  that  the  faults  be  remedied. 
That  applies  to  both  the  political  and  industrial  powers. 

"To  illustrate:  Only  recently  the  superintendent  of  a 
branch  post-office  became  careless.  The  desks  in  the 
public  room  were  never  dusted,  inkstands  not  cleaned, 
windows  never  washed,  ink-soaked  blotters  seldom  re- 
placed by  fresh  ones.  A  citizen  secured  an  injunction, 
and  thirty  minutes  later  it  was  served.  Those  windows 
were  soon  polished  and  everything  in  that  room  was  put 
into  the  finest  condition.  A  person  who  applies  for  such 
an  injunction  must  show  that  a  notice  of  the  evils  in 
question  was  submitted  to  the  proper  authority  and  that 
they  were  not  corrected.  Those  notices  are  made  by  fill- 
ing up  a  printed  form  that  is  couched  in  courteous  lan- 
guage." 

"Are  those  injunctions  entered  against  the  record  of 
the  official  they  are  served  on  ?" 

"They  stand  against  him  as  demerits,  and  you  can  be 
sure  few  such  injunctions  are  necessary.  That  protec- 
tion has  developed  an  excellent  service." 

"How  would  the  matter  work  with  an  employe  who 
shows  discourtesy  to  the  public?" 

"The  oflfended  citizen  would  secure  an  order  from  the 
court,  giving  that  employe  the  punishment  the  law  pre- 
scribes. Men  who  have  appointing  power  are  too  apt 
to  cover  up  the  faults  of  their  own  appointees  when  com- 
plaint is  made.  For  that  reason  the  courts  are  given  the 
power  to  discipline  and  dismiss  from  certain  positions ; 

80 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

but  their  right  to  do  so  only  arises  in  case  the  officer 
in  charge  of  the  department  at  fault  refuses  to  correct 
the  evils.  If  there  is  any  dispute  as  to  the  facts  in  such 
cases  either  side  may  demand  a  jury  trial." 

"Does  the  right  of  appeal  exist?" 

"Certainly ;  in  order  that  no  injustice  can  be  done.  Tlie 
courts  are  a  part  of  the  political  power,  and  a  disgrun- 
tled industrial  official  against  whom  an  injunction  is  is- 
sued has  no  way  to  strike  back  at  the  judge.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  right  of  appeal  protects  the  industrial 
official." 

"Don't  some  people  abuse  su(?li  a  privilege  to  annoy  offi- 
cers they  don't  like?" 

"By  experience  it  has  been  found  they  do  not.  The 
laws  against  malicious  prosecution  are  still  in  force,  and 
if  a  person  maliciously  annoys  an  official  that  person  gets 
into  trouble." 

"Well,  to-day,"  George  observed,  "there  is  more  lib- 
erty than  in  the  past,  is  there?" 

"Quite  so,"  Carl  assented ;  "the  whole  trend  of  legal 
evolution  has  been  towards  a  gradual  dying  out  of  laws 
and  broader  liberties  arriving." 


8i 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE  INDIVIDUAL  ENTHRONED. 

"Tell  me,"  George  said,  "if  people  were  so  anxious 
to  get  greater  liberty,  how  did  they  get  over  the  distrust 
there  once  was  against  putting  all  industry  under  one 
control?  People  used  to  think  that  if  that  were  done 
tl:ere  would  be  a  despotism." 

"Why,  when  organization  is  for  peaceful  work,  it  isn't 
necessary  to  have  a  discipline  as  merciless  as  the  one  that 
once  ground  the  soldier  into  slavery.  That  distrust  was 
overcome  by  proving  it  to  be  groundless." 

"Has  the  industrial   force  no  discipline  now?" 

"It  has,  but  the  regulations  give  the  rank  and  file 
more  liberty  than  the  average  employer  had  in  ancient 
times.  When  workers  of  the  rank  and  file  are  at  work 
they  obey  orders,  but  their  liberties  can't  be  trampled 
on.  You  see,  the  political  power  is  based  on  universal 
suffrage.  It  is  that  suffrage  that  fixes  the  guarantees  of 
liberty.  The  authority  that  industrial  officials  have  is 
merely  for  handling  business.  Any  of  them  who  misuse 
authority  have  charges  brought  against  them." 

"I  imagine,  though,  that  when  a  workman  wants  to  be 
away  from  duty  he  must  get  permission,"  George  ven- 
tured. 

"He  puts  in  a  request  for  leave  of  absence ;  that's  what 
it's  called  officially,  but  in  eft'ect  it  is  really  a  notification 
that  he  will  not  be  on  duty  on  the  day  named.  The  or- 
ganization of  industry  is  so  thorough  that  under  ordinary 

82 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

conditions  it  isn't  necessary  for  a  head  of  department 
to  refuse  one  of  his  subordinates  a  request  for  leave  of 
absence." 

"Doesn't  that  disorganize  things  sometimes — for  in- 
stance, when  there  is  a  big  parade  or  something  of  the 
kind  that  everybody  wants  to  see?" 

"On  such  occasions,  why,  all  departments  that  can  close 
for  the  day  do  it.  For  the  ones  that  can't,  the  regula- 
tions give  the  managers  the  right  to  tell  their  people  that 
it  is  necessary  to  report  for  duty." 

"But  think  of  people  away  from  duty  so  much,  with 
no  one  to  take  their  places." 

"If  their  work  needs  a  substitute  while  they  are  away 
there  is  one  trained  to  step  in  at  any  time.  If  any  one 
part  drops  out  of  existence  there's  another  to  replace  it 
and  the  machine  goes  on  as  smoothly  as  before." 

"Very  few  employers  in  the  past  had  a  substitute  to 
put  rigl't  into  their  places  every  time  they  wanted  to  be 
away.  Many  of  them  had  to  stick  to  business  day  after 
day,  often  for  many  years  without  a  vacation  of  any 
kind.  It's  easy  to  see  how  the  regulations  you  say  are 
in  use  make  the  worker  at  present  practically  his  own 
master." 

After  reaching  home,  Carl  gave  George  a  book,  pub- 
lished in  2201  A.D.,  and  said  it  contained  some  informa- 
tion concerning  the  new  arrangement  in  the  political  and 
industrial  systems.  From  it  George  read  the  following 
chapter : 


«3 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  XXVII. 

(a)    ORGANIZATION. 

"Scientific  data  which  had  been  collected  up  to  the 
beginning  of  the  twentieth  century  tended  to  show  that 
social  evolution  was  proceeding  in  a  manner  similar  to 
organic  growth.  As  time  advanced  the  analogies  which 
led  to  that  belief  became  more  marked,  and  to-day  there 
is  still  greater  proof  of  its  correctness. 

"While  every  physical  organism  is  made  of  cells,  every 
social  organism  is  composed  of  individuals,  and  thus  the 
cell  is  seen  to  bear  the  same  relation  to  a  physical  organ- 
ism that  the  individual  does  to  the  social  organism.  Al- 
though the  cell  needs  only  material  food,  the  individual, 
being  a  higher  order  of  life,  requires,  in  addition  to  mate- 
rials, non-material  nutriment,  such  as  education,  enter- 
tainment and  social  intercourse.  Moreover,  just  as  it  is 
essential  to  have  every  cell  properly  nourished  that  there 
may  be  a  healthy  body,  so  it  is  likewise  necessary  to  have 
every  individual  properly  nourished  that  there  may  be 
healthy  social  conditions. 

"Now,  government  has  direct  authority  over  all  intel- 
lectual matters  and,  by  commanding  the  requisite  force, 
is  in  supreme  control.  Therefore,  it  performs  functions 
for  humanity  analogous  to  those  which  the  nervous  sys- 
tem performs  for  the  human  body,  because  the  nervous 
sy.>^tem  is  the  seat  of  intellectual  activity,  and  through 
controlling  the  muscles  is  in  supreme  command. 

84 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"The  Federal  Parliament  is  the  world's  highest  legis- 
lative assembly  and,  by  having  jurisdiction  over  general 
questions  only,  it  discharges  duties  for  humanity  analo- 
gous to  those  executed  by  the  brain,  which  performs  the 
general  functions  not  delegated  to  the  local  nerve  centers. 
The  lower  legislative  assemblies  look  after  local  welfare, 
which  is  the  same  fimction  performed  in  the  human  body 
by  the  nerve  centers  other  than  the  brain. 

"Industry  is  operated  by  corporations  which  are  inde- 
pendent of  government.  The  work  of  the  producing  de- 
partments corresponds  to  that  which  the  alimentary  system 
does  for  the  body,  since  their  tasks  are  confined  to  han- 
dling the  materials  during  industrial  digestion.  The  work 
of  the  distributing  departments  corresponds  to  that  done 
by  the  vascular  system,  because  they  distribute  the  fin- 
ished nutriment  to  the  points  where  it  is  needed. 

"Although  government  and  the  industrial  power  are  in- 
dependent of  each  other,  yet  they  work  in  concord,  since 
the  latter  bows  to  the  laws  enacted  by  the  former. 
Nevertheless,  the  authority  of  legislators  does  not  extend 
to  industrial  details.  When  goods  are  in  factories  or  are 
being  transported  they  are  handled  in  a  way  prescribed 
by  industrial  officials.  Likewise,  the  alimentary  and  vas- 
cular systems,  after  receiving  food,  diffuse  it  in  a  man- 
ner over  the  details  of  which  the  brain  has  no  control. 

"The  political  and  the  industrial  units  are  not  co-exten- 
sive, the  former  being  ethnic,  the  latter  geographic.  For 
political  purposes  the  fundamental  unit  of  organization 
is  the  nation,  for  industrial  purposes  the  continent. 

"Under  competitive  methods  an  interchange  of  prod- 
ucts among  nations  never  guaranteed  absolute  economy, 
inasmuch  as  no  organization  existed  to  see  that  all  com- 

85 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

modities  exchanged  between  two  nations  were  given  the 
shortest  possible  haul  from  the  place  of  production  to  the 
point  where  consumed.  On  the  other  hand,  each  nation 
competed  with  others  for  export  trade,  regardless  of 
whether  the  shipments  represented  the  greatest  saving  of 
work,  and  in  their  desire  for  industrial  independenqe 
many  attempted  to  produce  within  their  own  borders 
what  could  have  been  brought  forth  to  better  advantage 
elsewhere. 

"Manifestly  it  was  not  an  economic  arrangement  that 
aimed  at  compelling  California  to  take  coal  from  central 
or  eastern  United  States,  while  there  was  coal  on  Van- 
couver Island  to  the  north  and  in  Sonora  to  the  south,  the 
one  on  Canadian,  the  other  on  Mexican  soil,  both  of 
which  are  closer  to  California  than  the  principal  coal  de- 
posits i:i  the  United  States. 

"Neither  was  it  high  efficiency  that  iron  from  mines 
in  Minnesota,  reduced  to  pig  in  the  Middle  States  and 
manufactured  in  New  England,  should,  in  the  form  of 
hardware  and  machinery,  be  shipped  to  Mexico  or  Cen- 
tral America,  while  in  Mexico  there  were  deposits  of  iron 
ore  unsurpassed  in  quality,  which  could  have  been  manu- 
factured for  use  in  that  locality.  At  present,  with  all 
the  mines  of  the  continent  under  one  control,  the  aim 
naturally  is  to  supply  each  section  with  metal  from  de- 
posits the  nearest  to  that  section. 

"Likewise  it  was  wasteful  of  labor  that  cotton  raised 
in  Louisiana  should  be  shipped  to  England,  manufactured 
there,  then  the  fabric  sent  to  Canada.  To-day  the  point 
of  manufacture  is  between  the  place  where  the  cotton  is 
grown  and  where  the  finished  cloth  is  used,  so  that  every 
mile  over  which  the  cotton  and  the  cloth  are  hauled  is 

86 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

neither  a  circuitous  nor  a  back  and  forward  course,  but 
an  advance  movement  toward  the  consuming  point.  But 
under  the  competitive  system  goods  were  often  transport- 
ed across  an  ocean  and  back. 

"To  obviate  those  conditions  the  continental  units  were 
estabhshed,  and  the  duties  of  the  continental  officials  are 
to  supervise  the  movements  of  all  commodities  that  pass, 
from  one  nation  to  another  on  the  same  continent.  The- 
experiences  of  those  officials  have  proved  that  the  great- 
est saving  of  time  and  materials  can  be  attained,  not  by 
each  nation  operating  its  industry  independently  of  other 
nations,  but  by  making  each  continent  an  industrial  unit 
and  co-ordinating  the  activities  of  all  the  continents. 
That  process  has  developed  in  accordance  with  nature's 
law  of  maximum  economy,  which  appears  to  be  uniforrrL 
everywhere. 

"Laws  made  by  man,  however,  are  subject  to  racial 
preferences,  which  vary  among  nations.  By  having  ethnic 
units  for  political  purposes,  laws  governing  those  units 
are  enacted  to  meet  local  wishes,  and  by  keeping  politics 
and  industry  apart,  those  preferences  are  no  obstacle  to 
making  each  continent  one  industrial  machine,  thereby 
attaining  absolute  economy. 

"Again,  were  government  and  industry  consolidated,  it 
could  be  expected  that  those  at  the  head  would  be  over- 
burdened, and  that  the  quality  of  their  service  would 
degenerate  proportionately.  With  government  and  indus- 
try separate,  one  group  of  officials  master  the  political 
problems,  while  another  specialize  on  those  of  industry. 

"During  the  nineteenth  and  twentieth  centuries  there 
was  a  tendency  toward  governments  engaging  in  com- 
mercial enterprises.     That  served  as  a  temporary  relief 

87 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

for  then  existing  evils,  and  led  to  the  supposition  that 
governments  were  destined  to  conduct  all  business. 

"However,  the  mere  existence  of  a  tendency  is  neither 
proof  that  it  is  correct  nor  that  it  will  be  permanent.  In 
the  thirteenth  century  the  Church,  under  Pope  Innocent 
III.,  attained  the  pinnacle  of  its  power  over  kings  through 
its  unity  with  state,  and  the  belief  then  prevailed  that 
those  conditions  would  be  perpetual.  For  a  time  the 
unity  of  church  and  state  saved  the  world  from  anarchy, 
but  after  the  necessity  for  such  unity  passed,  progress  de- 
manded their  separation. 

"Through  somewhat  similar  phenomena  the  consoli- 
dation of  industry  with  politics  was  seen  not  to  accord 
with  scientific  development,  and  governments  gradually 
surrendered  their  commercial  ventures  to  industrial  cor- 
porations existing  for  the  people.  Then  industry  and 
politics  became  independent  but  harmonious  branches  of 
the  social  organism. 

"The  present  organization  came  about,  not  by  imitat- 
ing the  principles  of  physical  growth,  but  by  following 
practical  considerations.  As  a  result  social  growth  pro- 
ceeded in  a  manner  that  showed  the  presence  of  the  bio- 
logic law.  That  is  not  surprising,  for  nature  employs 
practical  means,  and  man,  as  he  acquired  additional  cen- 
turies of  commercial  experience,  approached  ever  closer 
to  nature's  ideal. 

"Her  mystic  secret  appears  to  lie  in  the  way  she  or- 
ganizes. The  tiny  cells,  working  together,  compose  the 
wonderful  mechanism  of  the  human  body ;  many  help- 
less drops  of  water  coalesce  and  obey  one  law,  whence  the 
ocean  derives  its  grandeur  and  its  might;  the  stars,  by 
swinging  through  space  in  harmony,  give  heaven  its 
majesty. 

88 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

(b)    GOVERNMENT. 

"The  legislative  arm  of  the  world  government  is  the 
Federal  Parliament,  where  every  nation  is  represented. 
The  organization  of  Parliament,  the  salary  paid  to  its 
members,  the  length  of  their  continuance  in  office,  and 
the  number  of  inhabitants  that  each  of  them  represents, 
are  details  which  have  evolved  empirically. 

"Parliament's  jurisdiction  is  limited  to  political  affairs 
that  concern  the  world  as  a  whole,  which  include  legis- 
lative authority  over  the  high  seas,  as  well  as  over  navi- 
gable inland  waters  forming  the  boundaries  between  two 
nations.  Parliament  also  conducts  polar  explorations  and 
maintains  a  department  for  research  in  every  branch 
of  science. 

"The  capital  of  the  world  is  on  the  northern  coast  of 
France. 

"The  Federal  Constitution  prohibits  polygamy,  slav- 
ery, secession  and  war;  it  guarantees  liberty,  the  writ  of 
habeas  corpus,  trial  by  jury,  freedom  of  the  press,  invio- 
lability of  the  domicile  and  of  all  correspondence,  and  es- 
tablishes a  limit  beyond  which  the  suffrage  cannot  be 
restricted. 

"The  Supreme  Court  interprets  the  statutes  enacted 
by  Parliament  and  has  cognizance  over  all  disputes  aris- 
ing under  them,  including  controversies  between  nations 
and  between  a  nation  and  any  of  the  higher  industrial 
divisions.  The  world  is  divided  into  judicial  districts,  to 
which  there  are  federal  judges  of  lower  authority  as- 
signed. They  hear  minor  cases  arising  in  their  districts 
and  coming  under  the  federal  jurisdiction. 

"The  chief  executive  of  the  world  government  is  the 

89 


THE  NEW  REGIME  ' 

supreme  head  of  humanity;  he  is  called  The  Protector. 
His  salary,  the  length  of  his  term,  the  extent  of  his  ap- 
pointments and  removals  and  the  supervision  thereof, 
as  well  as  the  regulations  governing  his  impeachment,  all 
conform  to  what  experience  justifies.  Assisted  by  his 
Cabinet,  he  exercises  general  supervision  over  the  world's 
political  affairs,  is  responsible  to  Parliament,  is  sworn 
to  uphold  the  Constitution,  and  to  support  his  authority 
he  is  commander-in-chief  of  the  federal  army  and  navy. 

"The  infantry  comprises  one  brigade  of  grenadiers,  the 
cavalry  a  regiment  of  chasseurs,  and  the  artillery  about 
two  thousand  batteries,  totaling  above  twelve  thousand 
guns.  Detachments  from  the  army  are  stationed  at  vari- 
ous points.    The  artillery  is  used  for  rain-making. 

"The  armed  navy  is  a  squadron  of  three  battleships 
and  four  first-class  cruisers.  With  exception  of  the  an- 
nual dockings  for  inspection  and  repairs,  those  vessels 
are  always  on  sea  duty,   visiting  the  leading  ports. 

"Neither  the  army  nor  the  navy  has  been  called  on  to 
use  force  since  upward  of  a  century.  The  troops  are 
constantly  desired  as  a  spectacular  feature  in  parades, 
while  the  warships  are  in  frequent  demand  for  marine 
pageants.  Indeed,  such  requests  are  being  made  so  often 
that,  to  meet  them,  Parliament  has  considered  a  measure 
to  increase  the  military  and  naval  forces. 

"The  nations  enjoy  even  greater  freedom  than  did  the 
Swiss  cantons  at  the  beginning  of  the  twentieth  century. 
Each  nation  possesses  its  own  constitution ;  legislates  on 
local  matters ;  may  extend  the  suffrage  indefinitely,  but 
may  not  restrict  it  beyond  the  minimum  established  by  the 
federal  constitution ;  determines  how  its  own  administra- 
tive head  and  legislative  body,  as  well  as  how  its  deputies 

90 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

to  Parliament  shall  be  chosen,  and  decides  whether  its  own 
social  system  shall  be  democratic  or  aristocratic. 

"Whenever  a  national  and  a  federal  law  conflict,  the  lat- 
ter prevails.  At  the  same  time,  autonomy  is  the  widest  per- 
missible, and  all  powers  not  expressly  delegated  by  the 
Constitution  to  the  world  government  remain  vested  in 
the  nations.  The  world  government  exists  merely  to  co- 
ordinate the  political  energies  of  every  country  in  the 
interests  of  all,  and  its  authority  extends  no  further  than 
is  necessary  to  accomplish  that  end. 

(c)    THE    INDUSTRIAL   POWER. 

"The  world's  industry  is  operated  by  a  series  of  corpo- 
rations which  work  together  harmoniously  to  economiz>> 
what  competition  once  wasted ;  they  constitute  the  in- 
dustrial units  into  which  the  world  is  divided,  and  form 
a  series  of  corporations  for  industrial  purposes,  exactly 
as  the  borough,  township,  county,  state,  and  nation  are 
a  series  of  corporations  for  political  purposes.  The 
smallest  of  these  industrial  corporations  are  the  sub- 
sections, while  the  largest,  known  as  the  United  Com- 
panies, directs  all  industrial  matters  of  a  general  nature, 
which  include  transoceanic  transportation  and  the  pro- 
duction of  commodities  on  any  continent  for  shipment 
to  another. 

"The  United  Companies'  chief  executive  is  the  highest 
industrial  official  on  earth,  and  he  is  called  The  Tribune. 
He  has  general  supervisory  authority  over  the  company's 
affairs,  and  it  is  his  duty  to  assemble  the  business  activi- 
ties of  all  the  continents  and  islands  into  one  machine. 
His  headquarters  are  at  the  federal  capital. 

91 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"He  performs  his  duties  through  the  Central  Staff. 
Among  others  thereon  are  the  Admiral-in-chief,  who  com- 
mands all  ships  in  the  world  that  cross  oceans,  except  the 
armed  navy  and  private  yachts ;  the  Storekeeper  General, 
who  directs  the  intercontinental  movement  of  supplies, 
and  the  Director  General  of  Public  Works,  who  has  gen- 
eral supervision  of  engineering  enterprises  connected  with 
central  affairs.  An  appointment  to  the  Staff  can  be  at- 
tained only  by  a  stainless  record  and  long-continued  good 
work  below. 

"The  Tribune  and  his  immediate  subordinates  are  re- 
sponsible to  the  Central  Board.  All  central  officials  are 
sworn  to  uphold  the  United  Companies'  charter  and  by- 
laws. Therein  industrial  organization  is  outlined,  and 
the  lines  of  demarcation  between  departments  and  be- 
tween the  authority  of  the  higher  officials  are  clearly 
defined. 

"To  handle  business  the  world  is  divided  into  conti- 
nental and  oceanic  divisions,  each  headed  by  a  marshal. 
Each  of  the  former  constitutes  one  continent,  while  each 
of  the  latter  comprises  all  islands  within  definite  bounda- 
ries. Each  marshal,  through  his  staff  and  supervised  by 
a  board  of  directors,  manages  the  commerce  of  his  ter- 
ritory, performing  only  such  duties  as  concern  that  terri- 
tory as  a  whole. 

"Each  continent  is  subdivided  into  units  descending  as 
follows :  High  division,  grand  division,  general  division, 
division,  subdivision,  section  and  subsection.  Each  o£ 
those  embrace  a  group  of  the  next  lower  unit,  and  con- 
sequently every  unit  manager  has  directly  under  him  the 
managers  of  the  units  composing  his  own.  All  questions 
local  to  any  territory  are  decided  by  the  officers  who  man- 
age that  territory. 

92 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"Industrial  appointments  are  for  life  or  until  retire- 
ment ;  promotions  are  made  for  merit  alone ;  removals 
only  for  cause.  Unofficial  workers  are  organized  and 
establish  discipline, 

"Every  officer  is  responsible  for  all  his  acts,  and  is  then 
given  authority,  not  of  such  a  character  as  to  permit 
either  crushing  subordinates  or  appointing  incompetent 
favorites,  but  only  such  as  is  necessary  to  conduct  busi- 
ness with  dispatch,  for  in  industry  the  aim  is  efficiency." 


03 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
s         CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE   CENTRAL   MACHINE. 

Our  friends  sailed  on  a  ship  which  landed  them  at 
the  federal  capital.  While  there  were  many  interest- 
ing things  to  be  seen  there,  neither  Carl  nor  George 
wished  to  tarry,  for  they  were  anxious  to  be  with  their 
loved  ones  soon. 

Carl  explained  that  the  essential  fact  to  be  noted  was 
that  from  the  capital,  political  as  well  as  industrial  affairs 
were  directed,  although  by  independent  organizations. 
Further,  that  the  ancient  reason  why  capital  cities  were 
placed  in  the  interior  to  be  safe  from  bombardment  by 
an  enemy's  fleet  had  vanished,  so  that  a  coast  location 
enabled  the  capital  to  be  the  point  where  many  fine  naval 
as  well  as  military  parades  were  held,  and  to  be  in  direct 
ocean  communication  with  the  world. 

Soon  after  midnight  they  dropped  in  at  the  Storekeep- 
er General's  offices  to  see  a  Mr.  Von  Rieber.  He  was 
on  night  duty,  and  formerly  had  been  one  of  Carl's  fel- 
low-students at  Heidelberg.  He  was  delighted  with  the 
call  and,  having  nothing  to  do  at  the  time,  requested  his 
visitors  to  remain. 

He  told  them  that  one  person  was  on  duty  during  the 
night,  as  Acting  Head  of  Department,  with  authority, 
should  the  necessity  arise  for  doing  anything,  to  do  it 
quick. 

Two  hours  were  whiled  away  in  conversation.  Sud- 
denly the  bell  on  one  of  the  wireless  telephones  began 
to  ring  rapidly,  whereupon  Von  Rieber  took  the  message. 

94 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"Great  guns!"  he  ejaculated.  "Flood  on  the  Yang  Tse 
Kiang ;  thousands  killed ;  stores  destroyed." 

Carl,  seeing  that  his  host  no  longer  had  time  for  en- 
tertainment, suggested  to  George  that  they  leave  the 
office.  They  were  invited  to  return  at  six  o'clock  in  the 
morning. 

Ten  minutes  after  their  departure  Von  Richer  had  a 
talk  over  the  telephone  with  officials  in  the  flooded  dis- 
tricts and  received  a  preliminary  estimate  of  the  quan- 
tities and  kinds  of  supplies  immediately  needed  there. 

At  that  time  three  trainloads  of  flour  were  en  route 
from  the  mills  at  Buda-Pesth,  Austria,  for  near  points, 
where  there  was  no  pressing  necessity  for  it.  He  ordered 
that  those  trains  be  rushed  to  China  on  special  time. 
The  Commanding  Officer  of  a  ship  at  Manila,  Philippine 
Islands,  that  had  begun  taking  on  a  cargo  of  rice  the 
previous  day,  was  directed  by  wireless  telegram  to  com- 
plete loading  and  get  under  way  with  all  haste  for  Shang- 
hai, Various  other  supplies  were  ordered  to  be  started 
for  China  from  those  parts  of  the  world  that  were  best 
able  to  spare  them. 

Von  Richer  had  procured  the  information  enabling  him 
to  give  such  instructions,  from  the  stock  books  before 
him.  The  entries  in  those  books  were  changed  period- 
ically to  show  the  locations  and  quantities  of  goods  that 
were  stored  at  certain  large  commercial  centers,  beyond 
the  immediate  needs  of  those  localities,  and  that  were  at 
the  disposal  of  the  central  authorities.  By  communicat- 
ing with  Buda-Pesth  he  had  learned  that  the  flour  want- 
ed had  left  there  by  rail.  He  spent  a  busy  night,  but,  al- 
though there  were  electric  buttons,  by  pressing  which  the 
department's  entire  clerical  force  could  have  been  called, 
he  rang  for  the  chief  stock  clerk  only. 

95 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

Upon  being  relieved  at  six  o'clock,  Von  Rieber  joined 
Carl  and  George  at  breakfast.  After  telling  them  how 
the  situation  had  been  handled,  he  added,  "When  I  left 
the  office  the  first  trainload  of  flour  had  just  come  out 
of  a  tunnel  through  the  Balkan  Mountains,  going  a  hun- 
dred and  eighty  miles  an  hour.  The  second  one  was  on 
the  first  one's  heels,  making  the  same  time.  The  railroad 
people  are  trying  to  break  the  record  for  the  run  over  the 
Asiatic  Southeastern.  They'll  do  it,  too.  Orders  are  now 
being  sent  out  to  forward  a  couple  of  shiploads  of  supplies 
from  the  Pacific  Coast  of  the  United  States.  Within  a 
couple  of  hours  from  now  everything  will  be  in  motion 
by  land  and  water,  bound  for  China,  that  will  be  needed 
there." 

"There  must  be  a  good  bit  of  clerical  work  connected 
with  all  that,  isn't  there,"  Carl  asked. 

"Not  as  much  as  you  would  think.  For  the  three 
trainloads  of  flour  I  made  just  one  transfer  entry,  charg- 
ing China  and  crediting  Austria." 

Turning  to  George,  Carl  observed,  "I'm  glad  you  had 
a  chance  to  see  how  the  central  machine  works  to  make 
the  world  a  unit." 


96 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


ECONOMY. 

While  at  the  station,  waiting  for  a  train,  George 
began,  "As  I  understand  it,  when  industry  was  pur  under 
a  central  control  and  the  nations  became  federated,  then 
they  saved  what  war  and  competition  once  wasted.  It's 
that  saving  that  was  used  to  bring  plenty." 

"Precisely,"  Carl  assented;  "for  that  reason  it  wasn't 
necessary  to  do  away  with  vested  rights  in  order  to  im- 
prove the  condition  of  the  masses,  and  that  point  is  im- 
portant. Why,  think  of  it,  George,  early  in  tlie  twen- 
tieth century  the  cost  to  keep  up  the  armaments  of  Great 
Britain,  Germany,  France  and  the  United  States  had 
reached  more  than  one  billion  dollars  a  year!*  And, 
mark  it,  that  was  the  total  of  only  four  nations  for  just 
one  year  while  they  were  at  peace  with  each  other. 
Then  think  of  the  useless  work  competition  caused! 
Why,  in  the  United  States  alone  the  value  of  productive 
ability  that  was  wasted  was  calculated  to  be  not  less  than 
twelve  billion  dollars  a  year.t    That  was  a  value  thrown 


M 


ARMY 

N.\VY 

TOTAL 

tGreat  Britain   (year    ended  March 

31. 1908) 

$134,6.36,100 

8152,382,150 

f  287,01 8.150 

tGermany  (1907) 

1»3,765,9W 

67,543,253 

261,309.240 

tFrance  (1907) 

189,000,000 

&'>,000,000 

254,000,000 

United  States  (1907) 

101,671,880 

97,606,595 

199  278,475 
81. (Mil. 605  865 

t  Budget  estimates. 

X  The  Appendix  shows  how  this  amount  is  reached. 

97 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

away  every  year.  In  1904  the  value  of  all  material 
wealth  in  the  United  States  was  about  one  hundred  and 
seven  billion.*  So  you  see,  a  nine  years'  saving  of  what 
competition  wasted,  more  than  equaled  the  entire  mate- 
rial wealth  of  the  nation.  Yet  while  all  that  waste  was 
going  on,  people  often  repeated  the  words  of  Jesus  to 
prove  that  there  would  always  be  poverty,  'For  the  poor 
always  ye  have  with  you.'  " 

"Overlooked  the  fact,  did  they,  that  those  words  were 
not  spoken  like  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  to  all  races  of 
all  ages,  but  only  to  Judas,  and  he  always  did  have  the 
poor  with  him?" 

"Certainly.  Then  in  past  times  so  many  of  the  schemes 
for  reform  proposed  to  make  things  better  simply  by  a 
redistribution  and  to  do  away  with  all  vested  rights,  in  a 
more  or  less  radical  form,  that  property  owners,  as  a  rule, 
didn't  support  such  schemes.  But  after  industry  became 
organized,  the  people  of  the  United  States  had  found  a 
mine  of  wealth  that  would  give  them,  as  long  as  the 
-nation  lasted,  more  than  twelve  billion  dollars  a  year, 
besides  what  competition  had  previously  given." 

*The  actual  figures  are  $107,104,192,410.  From  "Special  Re- 
ports of  the  Census  Office ;  Wealth,  Debt  and  Taxaiion,"  published 
in  1907,  page  27. 


98 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


DISTRIBUTION. 


"But  the  proper  distribution  of  that  vast  sum  was  as 
important  as  preventing  it  from  going  to  waste,"  George 
observed. 

"You  are  right ;  had  it  not  been  given  an  equitable  dis- 
tribution, conchtions  would  not  have  improved.  It  is  a 
wrong  impression  to  think  that  you  can  measure  a  na- 
tion's progress  by  the  volume  of  its  commerce,  or  the 
number  of  its  inhabitants,  or  the  extent  of  its  territory. 
More  important  than  either  of  those  is  the  justice  with 
which  its  wealth  is  distributed." 

"You  mean,  do  you,  that  there  is  not  as  great  a  gulf 
between  the  richest  and  poorest  as  there  once  was?" 

"That  is  th.c  situation,  although  the  day  for  absolute 
equality  doesn't  seem  to  be  here  yet." 

"And  philanthropy  finally  got  so  extensive  as  to  per- 
manently improve  distribution,  did  it?" 

"The  question  was  not  worked  out  that  way.  Since  you 
mention  it,  though,  it's  true  that  in  the  past,  in  addition 
to  the  laboring  man,  there  were  also  men  and  women  of 
wealth  who  wanted  better  conditions.  They  used  to  give 
fortunes  to  help  good  causes.  The  story  of  their  gener- 
osity is  one  of  the  finest  pages  in  history.  But  philan- 
thropy was  like  a  stream  of  water  trying  to  put  out  a 
fire  while  there  was  fuel  being  heaped  on  from  the  other 
side.  The  fire  was  human  suflfering,  and  competition 
was  furnishing  much  of  the  fuel  that  kept  the  fire  burn- 

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THE  NEW  REGIME 

ing.  The  thing  that  was  finally  done  was  to  shut  off  the 
supply  of  fuel,  and  then  philanthropy  wasn't  needed." 

"How  were  the  present  conditions  arrived  at?" 

"The  same  forces  continued  to  work  throughout  the 
twentieth  and  twenty-first  centuries  in  the  same  way  they 
had  previously  worked.  You  recall  that  industrial  his- 
tory always  has  been  the  story  of  old  companies  and  com- 
mercial houses  declining  and  new  ones  springing  up.  As 
time  passed  they  improved ;  it  was  the  survival  of  the 
fittest  among  them. 

"In  1908,"  Carl  continued,  "there  were  over  three  and 
a  half  billion  dollars  in  the  savings  banks  of  the  United 
States.  That  was  the  people's  money,  and  the  bulk 
of  it  was  being  put  into  the  hands  of  the  very  system 
that  oppressed  the  people,  because  the  banks  invest- 
ed in  bonds  of  the  corporations  and  loaned  money  on 
mortgages.  Well,  in  the  twentieth  century  corporations 
of  an  improved  type  sprung  up,  from  small  beginnings, 
of  course.  They  gave  a  guaranteed  dividend  on  their 
stock,  as  high  as  the  savings  banks  paid  on  deposits ;  then 
gave  every  shareholder  a  vote  of  equal  weight,  regard- 
less of  the  quantity  of  his  holdings  of  the  stock ;  and  their 
by-laws  provided  that  the  guaranteed  dividend  never 
could  be  exceeded,  but  that  all  excess  profits  must  go, 
not  to  swell  dividends,  but  must  be  distributed  among 
employes,  according  to  the  principles  of  equity.  In  other 
words,  justice  was  their  foundation  for  distribution,  and 
under  that,  woman  received  equal  pay  with  man  for  equal 
service." 

"Then  those  corporations  got  into  competition  with  the 
savings  banks  for  the  use  of  the  wage-earner's  money?" 

"Yes,  the  shareholders  got  their  guaranteed  dividend, 
as  much  as  the  banks  paid,  and  then  had  the  satisfaction 

100 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

of  knowing  that  their  money  wasn't  being  put  where  it 
supported  the  methods  the  people  were  opposed  to.  The 
process  was  slow  at  first,  but  finally  the  new  type  of 
corporation  got  their  credit  so  firmly  established  that 
their  bonds  were  put  by  the  legislatures  in  the  list  of  se- 
curities that  savings  banks  were  allowed  to  invest  in. 
At  that  point  you  could  have  divided  the  banks  into  two 
classes,  those  that  boycotted  the  securities  of  the  new 
type  of  corporation,  and  those  that  didn't.  \\'hat  did  the 
people  do?  They  saw  the  possibility  of  organizing  their 
own  financial  power  in  their  ow-n  defense  and  kept  their 
money  out  of  the  banks  that  boycotted  the  new  corpora- 
tions, but  put  it  in  the  other  banks.  In  that  way  the 
people  gradually  got  away  from  putting  their  savings  into 
the  hands  of  their  oppressors." 

"I  should  imagine  that  those  new  corporations  could 
give  customers  better  service  than  others." 

"They  did,"  Carl  replied,  "and  that  was  one  of  the 
things  that  helped  them  to  get  the  purchasing  public  on 
their  side.  They  branched  out  into  every  desirable  line 
of  industry,  and  their  employes  took  the  same  interest 
in  the  success  of  the  business  that  a  business  man  took 
in  his  own  ventures ;  those  employes  were  polite  and  at- 
tentive to  customers,  because  the  more  trade  they  would 
bring  in,  the  higher  wages  would  go." 

"But  those  new  corporations  couldn't  consolidate,  be- 
cause anti-trust  laws  prevented  it." 

"After  those  corporations  distributed  their  profits  with 
justice  and  proved  their  vitality,  why,  they  were  permit- 
ted the  right  to  consolidate  indefinitely ;  it  was  safe  to 
let  them  do  that,  because  the  economies  didn't  go  into 
the  pockets  of  only  a  few  ;  and  instead  of  discharging  a 
part  of  the  employes  after  a  consolidation  they  made  the 

lOI 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

working  day  shorter.  Then,  you  see,  the  way  was  clear 
for  those  corporations  to  go  ahead,  save  what  competi- 
tion had. been  wasting,  but  that  right  was  still  denied  to 
corporations  of  the  old  type.  The  natural  outcome  of 
that  was  what  was  known  as  the  charter-amending  pe- 
riod ;  after  the  people  saw  it  proved  that  the  new  system 
of  industry  was  better  than  the  old,  they  demanded  that 
the  old  kind  of  corporations  have  their  charters  amend- 
ed to  the  same  basis  as  the  new  ones.  That  was  a  right 
that  legislators  had  reserved  to  themselves  by  statute." 

"What,  the  right  to  amend  a  charter?" 

"Yes;  and  after  the  charter-amending  period,  why,  the 
anti-trust  laws  were  entirely  repealed,  because  all  monop- 
olies that  would  be  formed  after  that  were  in  the  inter- 
ests of  the  people.  The  corporations  that  existed  then 
were  worthy  of  controlling  all  industry ;  they  had  char- 
ters under  which  capital  and  labor  worked  together.  They 
were  industrial  democracies ;  a  corporation  that  gave 
every  share  of  stock  one  vote  was  an  oligarchy.  So  the 
process  was  a  reproduction  in  the  field  of  industry,  of  a 
process  that  had  worked  in  the  field  cf  politics;  that  is, 
the  decline  of  oligarchies  and  the  rise  of  democracies. 
Well,  after  the  charter-amending  period,  with  all  corpo- 
rations existing  on  the  new  basis,  and  the  anti-trust  laws 
repealed,  why,  it  was  naturally  to  the  interests  of  the  pub- 
lic that  the  evils  of  competition  be  stopped,  and  then  the 
industrial  units  finally  became  established  as  they  are 
now,  and  all  business  operations  brought  to  a  basis  of 
absolute  economy." 

"There  must  have  been  considerable  opposition  to 
amending  charters,  wasn't  there?" 

"You  can  be  sure  there  was  from  some  quarters,  but 
not  from  a  majority  of  the  people,  and  political  parties,  to 

T02 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

keep  their  hold  on  the  people,  had  to  keep  step  with  the 
times.  PoHtical  parties  began  to  put  charter-amending 
planks  into  their  platforms,  and  on  that  issue  their  cam- 
paigns were  fought.  The  question  wasn't  finished  up  in  a 
single  campaign,  either." 

"But  what  became  of  the  small  dealer  under  the  new 
arrangement?  Did  those  new  companies  that  you  were 
talking  about  crush  him?" 

"After  they  were  started  their  growth  was  to  a  great 
extent  a  merging  of  small  dealers,  for  many  of  the  small 
dealers  consolidated  with  those  companies." 

"Then  at  present  industrial  investments  are  the  securi- 
ties of  those  companies  that  have  survived?" 

"Yes,  and  the  outstanding  securities  now  are  far  less 
than  the  actual  value  of  the  entire  business  equipment, 
because  as  the  new  companies  grew  they  bought  in  much 
of  their  own  stock — as  much  as  they  could — and  held  it 
themselves.  Such  stock  was  in  the  position  of  being 
held  by  the  public  in  the  interests  of  the  public." 

"And  the  industrial  securities  that  now  exist  draw  an 
interest  that  is  supposed  to  be  reasonable,  do  they?" 

"Yes." 

"By  whom  and  in  what  manner  was  it  decided  what  is  a 
reasonable  interest  on  money?  That's  something  there 
might  be  a  difference  of  opinion  on  between  borrower  and 
lender." 

"To  some  extent  by  the  supply  and  demand  of  money 
when  those  new  companies  had  stock  or  bonds  to  sell. 
Then  another  factor  was  that  governments  always  had 
the  right  to  fix  a  maximum  dividend  and  rate  of  inter- 
est by  law." 

"Then  the  right  of  a  capitalist  to  interest  on  his  money 
is  recognized,  is  it?" 

103 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

"Yes,"  Carl  agreed ;  "and  the  fight  that  finally  estab- 
lished the  system  we  have  to-day  was  not  against  a  rea- 
sonable interest  on  money  or  against  individuals ;  it  was 
against  the  competitive  system  and  aimed  to  replace  a 
stock  that  gave  one  vote  for  every  share  by  a  stock  giving 
every  shareholder  a  vote  of  equal  weight.  Just  as  long 
as  every  share  of  stock  gave  one  vote,  just  so  long  would 
the  holders  of  a  majority  have  a  dangerous  power,  be- 
cause they  could  run  business  in  the  interests  of  a  few 
against  the  interests  of  many." 


104 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  XXXI. 

LOVERS  TOGEXnER. 

Soon  Messrs  Xormony  and  Rivers  were  en  route  for 
Sweden,  and  with  much  impatience  they  awaited  arriv- 
ing at  their  destination. 

On  reaching  Stockholm,  George  started  for  a  town 
some  miles  to  the  north,  where  Thora  was  living. 

Carl  joined  Teresa.  The  afifection  with  which  she 
greeted  him  proved  the  strength  of  her  attachment.  Of 
that  fact  there,  indeed,  had  been  previous  evidence.  She 
had  written  to  him  about  the  lengthy  twilight  of  the  long, 
summer  evenings  in  Sweden,  and  how  delightful  it  would 
be  when  they  could  spend  evenings  like  those  together. 
The  letters,  in  truth,  had  intensified  Carl's  love  into  de- 
votion, but  it  was  only  when  he  again  clasped  his  darling 
in  his  arms,  saw  her  blue  eyes  sparkle  and  felt  the  warmth 
of  her  fond  embraces  that  a  divine  joy  thrilled  him,  such 
as  he  never  before  had  experienced.  His  devotion  was 
changed  to  adoration.    Teresa  became  the  idol  of  his  life. 

Upon  reaching  her  home,  Carl  and  his  gracious  loved 
one  were  soon  imparadised  in  a  cozy  corner,  where  he 
fondled  her  tresses  and  received  her  endearments.  The 
caresses  she  showered  upon  him  were  only  such  as  could 
have  been  engendered  by  months  of  separation. 

Following  a  short,  yet  tearful,  silence,  Carl  whispered, 
"Do  you  know,  sweet,  how  I  feel  ?" 

"No.     Tell  me,  dear,"  she  murmured. 

"As  though  the  queen  of  the  angels  had  come  down 
from  her  throne  to  give  me  her  affection." 

105 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

As  his  cheek  touched  hers  she  answered,  "Carl,  you 
are  so  dear  to  me  I  could  not  live  without  you." 

Her  romantic  ardor  was  enkindled.  There  was  a 
tremor  on  her  lip ;  she  took  his  hand  in  hers,  pressed  it 
gently,  then,  with  tenderness,  folded  her  arms  about  him 
and  poured  out  her  deep  emotions  in  tears  of  love.  What 
could  endear  her  more  to  him  than  thus  to  demonstrate 
not  only  her  devotedness,  but  likewise  the  fineness  of  her 
sentiment?  All  else  that  the  world  could  give  seemed 
worthless  to  him,  when  compared  with  the  joy  her  pure 
affection  brought  him. 

"There  is  something  in  life.  Teresa.  I  would  not  have 
missed  it  for  anything,"  he  declared,  looking  into  her 
teary  eyes. 

She  still  could  not  respond  with  words,  but  kissed 
him  many  times. 

Then,  placing  his  hand  over  her  heart,  he  felt  its  rhyth- 
mic pulsations. 

"Kiss  me,  dear  Carl !"  she  implored,  holding  her  lips 
to  his  and  smiling  winsomely  upon  him. 

After  some  moments  of  silence  he  resumed,  "When 
we  are  married,  where  will  we  live,  in  America  or  here?" 

"I  like  America,  because  it  is  your  native  land.  I  will 
go  over  with  you ;  we  will  live  there,"  she  promised. 

At  parting  Teresa  asked,  "You  will  always  love  me 
this  way,  won't  you,  dear?" 

"I  will  never  cease  to  love  you.  In  the  twilight,  some 
evening  half  a  hundred  years  after  our  wedding  night,  I 
will  take  you  in  my  arms  with  all  the  joy  I  do  to-night, 
kiss  you,  and  say  my  love  has  never  dimmed." 

They  kissed  again ;  he  wiped  her  tears  of  love  away, 
gave  her  more  kisses,  and  then  departed. 

Continuing  in  the  city  for  three  weeks,  Carl  and  Teresa 

1 06 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

during  her  leisure  were  never  apart,  but  were  strolling 
through  the  parks,  dining  out,  or  were  somewhere  revel- 
ing in  the  beatitude  of  each  other's  companionship. 

George  and  Thora  in  the  meantime  had  gone  to  see 
Norwegian  fjords,  having  traveled  as  far  as  Cape  North. 
It  seems  that  during  the  trip  they,  too,  decided  to  make 
their  future  home  in  America. 


107 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  XXXII. 

WOMAN. 

Next  day  George  mentioned  the  fact  that  being  with 
the  girls  caused  him  to  wonder  about  woman's  condition. 

Carl  replied  in  effect  as  follows :  As  the  civilization 
they  were  living  under  was  the  highest  yet  attained,  it 
naturally  followed  that  woman's  condition  was  better 
than  ever ;  and  the  protection  and  liberties  she  was  en- 
joying had  not  arrived  abruptly,  but  through  the  continu- 
ation of  a  process  which  had  become  evident  early  in  his- 
tory. Until  the  twentieth  century  she  had  made  consid- 
erable headway  as  to  legal  rights,  but  if  at  that  time  she 
had  no  estate  of  her  own  her  economic  relations  with  her 
husband  were  what  they  had  been  since  earliest  times ; 
she  was  dependent  on  him  for  every  article  she  received. 
While  such  was  the  case,  even  if  the  husband's  income 
grew,  the  wife  was  not  guaranteed  a  just  share  of  it,  but 
obtained  only  whatever  portion  he  was  willing  to  give 
her ;  and  that  consequently,  no  matter  how  much  her  legal 
rights  expanded,  as  long  as  the  wife  was  under  the  hus- 
band's financial  heel,  she  had  a  poor  quality  of  liberty. 

"To-day  that  is  entirely  different,  is  it?"  George  ques- 
tioned. 

"At  present  when  a  woman  wants  an  article  for  her 
own  use  her  husband's  consent  is  neither  asked  nor  need- 
ed, and  when  she  gets  the  article  the  title  to  it  vests  in  her 
as  an  individual ;  the  husband  has  no  legal  rights  over  it. 
Such  things  as  are  needed  for  family  use  are  owned  by 

1 08 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

husband  and  wife  jointly;  that  is,  the  rights  of  both  in 
such  an  article  are  equal." 

"I  don't  quite  follow  you.  When  goods  are  given  for 
family  use,  isn't  it  the  theory  that  they  are  given  in  re- 
turn for  work  done  by  the  husband?  If  so,  he  ought  to 
hold  title." 

"That  isn't  the  theory,"  Carl  responded.  "They  are 
given  in  return  for  work  done  both  by  husband  and  wife." 
"All  those  changes  were,  no  doubt,  welcome  to  woman." 
"Naturally ;  they  relieved  her  of  the  unpleasantness  of 
asking  for  money  to  buy  the  smallest  necessity.  It  added 
much  to  her  happiness  to  have  that  cause  for  irritation 
removed." 

"Suppose  the  wife  wants  to  take  a  trip?" 
"She  is  entitled  to  free  travel,  and  gets  a  pass  from 
the  department  where  she  works.  If  her  working  hours 
are  all  taken  up  with  duties  connected  with  her  own  fam- 
ily she  is  in  the  Department  of  Domestic  Service.  She 
could  put  the  children  into  the  nursery  and  take  her  trip. 
The  condition  of  woman  at  present,  George,  is  that  she 
has  every  legal  right  that  man  has,  and  economic  inde- 
pendence, too." 


109 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

THE  CHILDREN. 

"The  children,  no  doubt,  got  some  benefit  out  of  the 
change,  didn't  they  ?"  George  asked. 

"Very  much,  indeed.  There  isn't  any  burden  of  labor 
on  them,"  Carl  responded.  "Their  instincts  for  work  are 
encouraged,  but  none  of  them  is  robbed  of  childhood's 
joys." 

"Is  the  function  of  the  schools  the  same  as  it  used  to 
be,  with  respect  to  training  the  children?" 

"It  is  broader.  In  addition  to  general  studies,  the  pub- 
lic school  work  includes  musical  and  social  training. 
There  are  special  teachers  in  charge  of  the  social  depart- 
ment. They  look  after  the  children's  social  affairs,  which 
are  held  on  an  elaborate  scale.  During  vacations  and  on 
holidays  the  children  in  a  certain  grade  will  entertain 
those  of  a  corresponding  grade  from  some  distant  school 
at  a  reception.  All  will  make  many  new  acquaintances. 
The  instructors  of  music  furnish  juvenile  bands  and  or- 
chestras for  those  occasions,  and  to  their  music  there  will 
be  banqueting  and  general  childish  merriment.  Then, 
at  some  later  date,  the  hosts  will  be  entertained  in  return 
by  their  former  guests.  At  those  affairs  all  the  children 
are  taught  the  social  graces." 

"Do  they  get  much  travel  in  early  life?" 

"Once  in  the  school  course  every  child  spends  a  whole 
summer  vacation  with  a  trainload  of  children,  touring 
the  continent  they  live  on,  in  charge  of  teachers.     It  is  a 

no 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

prescribed  part  of  their  studies.  They  visit  historic 
places,  and  as  their  train  crosses  valleys,  rivers,  moun- 
tains and  state  boundaries,  they  are  given  practical  lessons 
in  geography." 

''How  do  they  spend  their  usual  vacation  life?" 
"They  lead  a  lively,  jolly,  outdoor  life,  reveling  in  the 
sunshine,  in  the  mountains,  by  lakes  or  the  sea.  Then 
for  inside  pastime  in  winter  there  are  juvenile  art  gal- 
leries and  operas.  All  places  for  entertaining  children 
are  built  with  small  dimensions.  Dramas  and  operas  are 
given  by  troupes  of  children  actors  and  their  audiences 
are  all  children.  That  is,  in  fact,  a  part  of  their  studies, 
because  many  plays  are  given  in  series  that  cover  connect- 
ed historic  events.  The  incidents  made  prominent  are 
the  ones  that  appeal  to  children.  In  the  juvenile  roman- 
tic dramas  scenes  are  brought  out  that  arouse  the  best 
sentiments  in  the  childish  nature  and  train  their  minds  to 
beautiful  thoughts.  So  do  the  paintings  and  statuary  in 
the  juvenile  art  galleries." 


1 1 1 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


DOMESTIC  LIFE. 


"I  SUPPOSE  home  life  is  of  a  high  quahty  just  now?" 
George  observed. 

"It  certainly  is,"  Carl  declared. 

"What  can  be  said  about  its  material  features?" 

"The  general  custom  at  present  is  to  live  in  hotels  and 
apartment  homes,  because  it  saves  work." 

"But  living  in  such  places  must  be  confined  to  cities, 
isn't  it?" 

"Not  entirely;  we  have  no  towns  smaller  than  about 
three  thousand  population,  and  in  some  of  such  places  we 
have  gone  through  you  have  seen  a  great  and  magnificent 
building.  That  is  where  nearly  everybody  in  the  town 
lives.  That  building  is  usually  in  the  center  of  a  park,  or 
by  a  lake  or  stream,  and  is  surrounded  by  fountains, 
shade  trees  and  lawns.  In  winter  it  can  be  heated  to  de- 
lightful comfort  against  the  fiercest  blizzard.  In  summer 
it  is  a  pleasant  shelter  from  the  most  sultry  heat,  bccan.-:e 
it  is  chilled  to  an  advisable  temperature  by  refrigerating 
pipes.  Its  roof  garden  is  a  popular  place  in  sumnier. 
Near  the  main  building  there  are  others,  such  as  Gchcol- 
house,  church,  infirmary,  casino  and  dwellings  for  fami- 
lies that  want  private  homes. 

"Inside  the  main  building  there  are  all  conveniences; 

112 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

library,  reading-room,  barber  shop,  swimming  pools, 
post-office.  Why,  without  leaving  the  building  you  can 
have  any  ordinary  want  satisfied.  There  is  also  a  nursery 
and  playroom.  When  parents  want  quiet  the  children  are 
sent  to  the  playroom,  which  is  behind  soundproof  walls. 
There  the  children  can  yell  to  their  hearts'  content,  with- 
out disturbing  the  older  members  of  the  family." 

"But  people  living  in  those  hotels  certainly  can't  have 
the  same  privacy  they  can  in  their  own  homes." 

"Of  course,  they  can,"  Carl  retorted.  "A  family  can 
have  a  private  dining-room  with  their  apartnieiits  and 
take  their  meals  with  no  one  but  their  own  family  at  the 
table;  or,  if  they  prefer,  the  smaller  children  can  eat  in 
the  juvenile  dining-room,  while  the  elder  menibeis  eat 
in  the  general  dining-room  at  a  table  which  they  have  to 
themselves  or  share  with  another  family  of  congenial 
tastes.     Everybody  can  have  such  things  as  they  vvi^h. 

"It  is  often  the  case  that  many  people  who  arc  inter- 
ested in  the  same  things,  as  art,  science,  and  so  on,  live  at 
the  same  hotel.  Why,  George,  life  in  our  hotels  and 
apartment  homes  gives  conveniences  and  pleasures  you 
simply  can't  get  in  a  private  home.  Then,  moving  is  no 
task  these  days,  for  people  as  a  rule  don't  own  si:o!i  tlnngs 
as  furniture  and  furnishings.  Such  things  ars  perma- 
nently located  in  the  rooms,  so  when  anybody  changes 
his  place  of  residence  he  has  only  clothing  and  trinkets 
to  pack  up."  . 

"I  can  easily  see  how  woman's  burden  of  household 
cares  has  been  made  much  lighter  than  before." 

"If  a  woman  happens  to  be  attached  to  the  working 
force  of  the  hotel  where  she  lives,"  Carl  responded,  "to 
her  it  is  just  as  if  she  does  four  hours'  work  in  her  own 

"3 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

home  and  then  is  free  for  the  day.  If  she  Uves  in  a  pri- 
vate house  she  does  the  housework,  but  has  no  laundry- 
ing,  baking,  canning,  and  the  like.  All  that  sort  of  thing 
is  done  by  the  establishments  that  do  such  work.  Even 
the  pavements  and  windows  of  her  home  would  be 
cleaned  and  the  lawn  cared  for  by  a  force  of  workmen 
kept  by  the  town  for  that  purpose.  A  family  wouldn't 
have  a  servant  unless  they  paid  for  having  extra  service." 

"Domestic  life  these  days  must  have  charms  it  never 
had  before." 

"Yes.  Through  poverty  having  been  driven  away, 
and  millions  of  overworked  mothers  of  the  great  middle 
class  having  been  relieved  of  the  endless  work  they  were 
under.  The  way  things  are  to-day,  you  see,  women  as 
well  as  men  have  plenty  of  leisure;  and  to  enjoy  associa- 
tion, George,  you  must  have  a  certain  amount  of  leisure; 
Even  love  couldn.'t  bring  much  joy  to  those  who  had  to 
live  in  privations  and  drudgery." 

"Now,  Carl,  in  regard  to  the  romantic  side  of  domestic 
life,  I  remember  having  read  that  in  past  ages  there  used 
to  be  so  many  divorces  that  brought  much  unhappiness. 
How  is  that  to-day?" 

"The  best  thing  about  it  is  the  love  that  is  in  home 
life  to-day.  The  principal  development  during  the  past 
two  centuries  wasn't  on  the  material  side  of  life,  but  in 
those  qualities  of  human  nature  that  find  their  expression 
in  love.  To-day  there  is  good  will  among  nations,  races 
and  classes.  But  far  and  away  the  finest  feature  of  that 
development  is  the  capacity  for  strong  attachments  and 
the  devotion  of  men  and  women  for  each  other.  The 
obstacles  are  away  that  often  kept  true  lovers  apart  in 
the  past,  and  the  social  code  lets  them  meet  and  spend 

114 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

their  lives  together.  There  are  fewer  reasons  for  going 
into  mercenary  marriages.  There  are  hardly  any  mis- 
mated  couples  these  days,  and  divorce  is  rare.  At  pres- 
ent, George,  marriage  is  the  beginning  of  a  honeymoon 
that  lasts  a  lifetime." 

"Such  as  you  and  I  will  have  with  Teresa  and  Thora," 
George  added. 


"5 


THE  NEW  REGIME 
CHAPTER  XXXV. 

SOCIETY. 

George  next  inquired,  "Is  society  made  up  of  circles 
and  cliques?" 

"Entirely.  They  often  are  made  up  of  persons  having 
a  common  interest,  such  as  a  profession  or  trade,  and 
each  has  its  own  clubs  and  social  affairs.  Then  there 
are  the  general  affairs  where  the  different  circles  come 
together." 

"How  about  the  mingling  of  races?" 

"Of  course,  universal  travel  has  brought  all  races  into 
close  touch.  Although  the  negro  now  possesses  ;i  culture 
and  education  equal  to  that  of  the  Caucasians,  there  are 
people  representing  about  every  shade  of  opinion,  and 
there  are  some  whites  who  object  to  associating  with 
blacks.  When  those  whites  travel  they  can  stop  at  hotels 
that  don't  take  black  guests.  There  are  other  hotels  that 
take  all  races.  I  have  heard  that  in  some  parts  of  Africa 
there  are  hotels  that  take  black  guests  only.  Of  course, 
a  traveler  can  find  places  that  entertain  all  races  and 
others  that  don't,  wherever  he  goes." 

"From  what  I  have  seen,  Carl,  courtesy  seems  to  be 
general." 

"Precisely.  And  the  courtesy  we  have  everywhere 
been  shown  on  this  trip  has  given  us  more  than  a  little 
pleasure." 

"Are  there  many  bachelors  these  days?" 

"Why,  George,  bachelors  are  so  few  as  to  be  actual 

ii6 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

curiosities.  A  woman  is  never  in  want  of  an  escort. 
That  isn't  because  she  needs  one  for  protection,  but  be- 
cause both  men  and  women  take  pleasure  in  always  being 
with  each  other.  All  clubs  have  a  membership  of  both 
sexes.  People  now  get  far  more  happiness  from  cultivat- 
ing friendships  than  from  mere  plenty  of  materials,  and 
everybody  has  a  large  social  contact.  Long  ago  that 
wasn't  true  of  the  majority." 

"A  large  social  contact,  too,  certainly  gives  better 
chances  of  men  and  women  meeting  who  were  designed 
for  each  other." 

"Why,  naturally.  One  great  trouble  in  the  past  was 
that  almost  everybody  had  too  few  acquaintances,  and 
complementary  natures  rarely  met.  Often  men  and 
women  were  married  that  nature  never  made  for  com- 
panions. At  present,  before  young  people  marry  they 
come  into  touch  socially  with  thousands  of  the  opposite 
sex.  That  gives  better  chances  of  their  meeting  a  true 
lover,  and  helps  to  reduce  divorce.  Everybody's  circle 
of  acquaintances  is  large  even  in  childhood." 


117 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

HOMEWARD   BOUND. 

Next  morning  when  George  met  Carl  at  breakfast,  the 
former  spoke  about  his  approaching  marriage. 

It  appears  that  Teresa  and  Thora,  having  decided  to 
live  in  the  United  States,  filed  applications  for  transfers, 
giving  the  information  that  they  were  shortly  to  wed 
Americans  and  wished  to  remain  in  the  service.  Not 
more  than  three  weeks  passed  when  there  came  for  each 
an  assignment  in  New  York,  applications  for  transfer 
in  order  to  let  those  newly  wedded  remain  together  hav- 
ing precedence  when  other  things  were  equal. 

Carl  had  written  for  an  international  pass,  which  al- 
lowed the  return  to  be  made  by  way  of  the  Orient.  It 
reached  him  before  the  wedding,  and  expired  on  the  day 
when  his  and  George's  vacations  ended. 

At  last  the  moment  drew  near  when  they  were  to  kneel 
at  the  altar.  The  ceremony  was  celebrated  quietly  at  a 
double  wedding  attended  by  only  a  few  guests. 

Then  the  two  happy  couples,  starting  eastward  by  rail, 
journeyed  through  Russia,  Siberia,  China  and  Japan. 
Sailing  from  Yokohama,  they  had  a  voyage  even  worse 
than  is  to  be  expected  on  the  eastern  seas.  When  but 
one  day  out  they  were  swept  by  a  typhoon  of  unusual 
severity,  and  while  close  to  the  middle  of  the  Pacific,  a 
tidal  wave  struck  them  that  caused  much  alarm,  during 
the  continuance  of  which  the  captain  thought  the  vessel 

ii8 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

would  founder.  On  reaching  San  Francisco,  they  con- 
tinued eastward  in  company  with  a  few  couples  whose 
acquaintance  they  had  made. 

A  few  days  after  reaching  home  the  young  men  re- 
sumed their  duties,  feeling,  since  Love  had  joined  them 
on  their  travels,  that  they  had  indeed  secured  greater 
joy  than  at  the  outset  of  their  journey  they  had  expected. 

The  End. 


119 


THE  NEW  REGIME 


APPENDIX. 

To  calculate  the  loss  suffered  in  the  United  States 
through  competition,  a  total  is  first  reached  representing 
material  wealth  produced  throughout  the  country  in  one 
year.     It  is  A,  below. 

From    Twelfth    Census,  Vol.  VII,    Manufac- 
tures, Part  1,  Page  cxxxix: 

Manufactured  products  1900) $13,004,400,143.00 

From  Twelfth  Census,  Vol.  V,   Agriculture, 
Part  1    Page  cxxi: 

Farm  products  (1899) 4,739.118,752.00* 

From  "Special  Reports  of  the  Census  Office. 

Mines  and  Quarries.     1902."  Page  124: 

Products  from  mines,  quarries,  oil  wells, 

etc.    (1902) 796,826,417.00 

From  Statistical  Bulletin  No.  188,  by  the  Bur- 
eau of  Fisheries: 

Products  from  fisheries  56,727,777.00 

This  amount  is  made  up  of  the  value 
of  one  year's  catch  for  each  section  of 
the  United  States,  although  not  every 
section  has  been  entered  for  the  same 
year.  No  entry  is  for  earlier  than  1900, 
none  for  later  than  1905. 


A $18,597,073,089.00 

The  data  needed  next  are  in  the  following  table. 
Column  I  shows  the  groups  under  which  the  country's 
working  force  is  classified  in  the  Census.  Column  3 
contains  percentages  which  have  been  worked  out  for 

*Estimated  to  be  too  small  by  "  not  less  than  5  nor  more  than 
10  per  cent,"  due  to  great  difficulty  experienced  by  enumerators 
and  special  agents  in  securing  returns.  See  Twelfth  Census,  Vol. 
V,  Agriculture,  Part  1,  Page  cxxii. 

120 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

use  herein.  They  were  reached  by  computing  for  each 
of  the  303  occupations  which  are  embraced  in  the  Census 
by  the  groups  in  column  i,  the  proportion  of  effort 
wasted  under  competitive  methods,  which  it  would  seem 
could  be  saved  were  industry  organized,  thereby  arriving 
at  a  percentage  for  each  group. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

GROUP. 

Number  of  per- 
sons ten  years  old 
and  over,  in  con- 
tinental Qniied 
States,  engaged  in 
gainful  occupa- 
tions :  1900. 
From  Twelfth  Cen- 
sus, "  Special   Ke- 
ports.     Occupa- 
tions,"  Hages 
xxiii-xxv. 

Effort 
computed 

10  be 

wasted  by 

competition. 

Number  of 

persons 

represented 

by  percentages 

in  cloumn  3. 

Agricultural  Pursuits 

Professional  Service  . 

Domestic  and  Personal 
Service      .... 

Trade  and  Transporta- 
tion        

Manufacturing  and 
Mechanical  Pursuits 

10,381,765 
1,258,538 

5,580,657 

4,766,964 

7,085,309 

65% 
60% 

65% 

80% 

55% 

6,748,147 
755,122 

3,627,427 

3,813,571 

3,896.919 

Total  (all  occupations) 

29.073,233 

64.8-L% 

18,841.186 

"Trade  and  Transportation"  includes  such  occupations 
as  peddler,  huckster,  book-agent,  solicitor,  commercial 
traveler,  wholesaler,  jobber,  and  commission  merchant. 


121 


THE  NEW  REGIME 

all  of  which  are  considered  as  destined  to  become  extinct. 
That  accounts  for  this  group  containing  the  largest  pro- 
portion of  wasted  effort. 

The  average  annual  productive  ability  of  each  worker 
in  producing  A  was,  dropping  the  cents,  $639.  The 
energy  of  all  in  column  4,  at  $639  each,  was  annually 
worth  $12,039,517,854.00;  in  round  numbers  twelve 
billion. 

However,  $639  does  not  completely  represent  the 
annual  productive  ability  of  one  worker,  since  A  does 
not  include  the  loss  resulting  from  enforced  idleness ; 
nor  the  non-material  products  such  as  are  furnished  by 
actors,  musicians,  and  other  professional  entertainers,  and 
by  transportation  companies  when  they  carry  passengers 
traveling  for  other  than  business  purposes. 

It  would  be  obviously  incorrect  to  say  that  no  value  is 
yielded  by  an  operatic  troupe  giving  a  performance,  nor 
by  a  train  crew  transporting  excursionists,  merely  be- 
cause what  such  efforts  bring  forth  is  immediately  con- 
sumed. Those  services,  it  would  appear,  are  pure  pro- 
duction. Nevertheless,  such  of  the  non-material  prod- 
ucts as  should  be  included  in  A  have  been  excluded,  be- 
cause reliable  data  in  regard  thereto  seem  not  to  be  on 
record. 

From  the  foregoing  calculation  the  loss  in  the  United 
States  through  competition  appears  to  be  not  less  than 
twelve  billion  a  year. 


122 


